Sexy Lady
by Yuri-hime
Summary: Want a little entertainment for the night? I come with a price. Chapter 11 Up!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** - I do not own the characters of Mai Hime. They are owned by Sunrise.

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><p><em><strong>Sexy Lady<strong>_

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><p>A chestnut-haired brunette strutted back and forth on a street corner, her slender legs clad in tight red leather pants. She was wearing a black tube top that revealed all the skin of her shoulders and arms, and every now and then she would lightly blow and pop a piece of pink bubblegum in her mouth.<p>

A dark blue car pulled up to the street corner, and the brunette leaned forward so that the driver received a full view of her ample cleavage.

She smiled a smile that never reached her jaded, ruby-red eyes and swiftly got into the car when a $100 was flashed in her face.

"Going my way, sweetheart,?" the driver asked in a voice that dripped with sleaze.

"For the right price I'll go wherever you want, darling?" the silky-smooth, Kyoto-ben accented voice replied.

"Alright baby, we're going 'all the way' around the world then!" the man replied, as he laughed loudly at his own bad sexual joke.

The brunette merely smiled tightly, never showing any emotion as the car peeled away from the corner.

_Emotions only led to trouble._

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><p>"One hundred, two hundred, three, four, five hundred dollars made for the night? Well well, my dear Shizuru. You did very well for your...Daddy...tonight," a handsome young man with silky-black hair, and intense golden eyes said as he leaned back in his chair, located in a small seedy backroom. The backroom belonged to the strip club the dark-haired man also owned, and right now he had a wide grin across his face as he looked at the beautiful brunette standing across from him.<p>

Shizuru merely nodded her head once, never allowing a bit of emotion to show on her delicate features.

The golden-eyed man just grinned wider at his 'employee', before he held up his hand and lightly crooked his finger in a 'come here' motion.

Shizuru slowly walked forward, already knowing what the dark-haired man wanted, and stooped down onto her knees before the man. She then reached forward, gripped his pant's zipper, and slowly pulled it down.

The man hummed in light approval before he swiftly reached out, grabbed the back up Shizuru's head, and dragged it down so that her face and lips were right above his manhood, which he had also quickly pulled out of its cloth confines.

"Now be a good girl for Daddy Reito, and make me feel...goood," the man named Reito drawled out as he pushed Shizuru's head down all the way, so that she had no choice but to swallow him whole.

Reito's golden eyes rolled back into his head, and he moaned long and low as his best 'girl', began doing what only she knew best how to do. He began jerking his hips up and down, moving faster and faster as Shizuru's tongue licked and swirled all along the tip and length of his shaft. Her lips played up and down to his member, making him shake and groan loudly as he felt his impending release coming on hard.

Shizuru quickly moved her mouth away as Reito released all that was in him, staining the sleek black pants he wore. But that didn't bother him as he got up, stepping passed the chestnut-haired girl who still remained kneeling on the ground, her head bowed down solemnly. He had a decent selection of clothes in the small closet set up beside the door to the bathroom.

"Ah Shizuru, you never fail to please me," Reito said with a smarmy smile that never failed to lightly turn Shizuru's stomach. Once changed Reito came back over to the brunette, bent down before her, and tilted Shizuru's bowed head up, so that he could see her mesmerizing crimson-red eyes. He ignored the light sheen of tears he found there, as he always did, and gave the tawny-haired girl a slightly-crooked grin.

"I have a new job for you. Someone is going to be celebrating her 21st birthday, and her friends have 'inquired' here at the club if I could set up some...special...entertainment for her. So how does a night 'in' with a newly-turned 'consenting adult' sound to you, Shizuru my dear? It sounds absolutely wonderful to _me_, and her friends have already paid in full for the 'entertainment'. So get yourself cleaned up and ready. Your work tonight isn't done. You've got a late-night party to get to," Reito said with a wink as he let go of Shizuru's chin, and rose swiftly to his feet.

Shizuru listened as Reito hummed happily to himself, as he walked towards the door leading out of the small backroom. She heard when the door _clicked_ shut behind the dark-haired man, and she listened as his footsteps slowly faded off down the hallway, leading back into the main part of the strip club.

Then and only then did Shizuru finally break her stillness, and allow her face to crumble as hot tears slid down her face. Her hand came up and covered her mouth, as her body shook with heaving sobs. But no sound escaped her lips.

_They never did._

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><p>"Happy Birthday to you! You smell like a zoo! You look like a monkey, and ya smell like one toooo! Happy Birthday, Natsuki!" a slightly-drunk redhead cried out, as she raised her half-full glass of alcohol high into the air.<p>

"Yeah, thanks for that _lovely_ birthday song, Nao. I _really_ enjoyed it," a beautiful, midnight-blue haired woman said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, as she gave her best friend a droll look.

"You're welcome!" the redhead called Nao cried out, as she took a heavy swig of her drink. "Oi oi, Mai! Has birthday girl's _special_ present arrived yet?" Nao called out to Natsuki's other best friend Mai, who was peeking out the window of Natsuki's two-bedroom apartment. The fiery-orange haired woman turned and winked her periwinkle eyes at her friends, as she flashed them a playful grin.

"Her entertainment should be arriving in three...two...one..."

_**Ding Dong**_

The front doorbell rang, and Nao and Mai quickly ran around the apartment grabbing their belongings, and made a quick dash to the door. Over Natsuki's calls and protestations for them to wait and _explain_ themselves about this 'entertainment', Mai and Nao called out over their shoulders for Natsuki to "loosen up and have fun!"

The honey-haired brunette watched as two girls half-stumbled out through the door she had just rang the doorbell to. Neither of them fit the description of the person Reito had sent her to entertain, and they both appeared to be leaving. So that meant that her 'date' for the night was the stunningly-beautiful, ebony-haired young woman sitting in the chair in the apartment, looking more than a bit stunned.

Shizuru slowly walked into the room, and softly clicked the door shut behind her. She then turned the full power of her magnetic, hypnotic, crimson-eyed gaze on the stranger before her, and allowed a sexy smile to grace her lips.

"Hello, Natsuki. I'll be your...entertainment...for the night."

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><p><strong>AN<strong> - Hope you all enjoyed! Please let me know what you guys thought of this new story, and if you'd like it to continue ^^


	2. Chapter 2

Shizuru walked slowly and sultrily forward until she stood right before the young woman, who continued to look up at her with a stunned expression.

"Now don't look so surprised, darling. I'm here to make your birthday the _best_ you've ever had," Shizuru purred as she locked down her inner feelings, on having to turn her body into something that simply made money for her 'Daddy'. It didn't matter what she did with her body. It was no longer _her's_ to command. Everything belonged to Reito now and if he wanted her to sleep with this young girl, who didn't look like she had a clue what to do with herself, then that was what Shizuru would do.

The raven-haired girl before Shizuru opened her mouth a few times, obviously trying to form words but seemed completely unable to, as she looked up at the sinfully sexy body that was now leaning towards her.

Natsuki felt the beautiful, honey-haired woman before her straddle her lap, and soft fingertips begin trailing lightly down her face. Natsuki felt herself shudder in surprising desire, and she had to mentally knock herself in the head as she wondered just what she was allowing to happen here. But despite her mind telling her that this was just _so wrong_, her body seemed to have its own ideas about what it wanted.

So Natsuki just continued to sit there as she felt a velvety-smooth tongue begin tracing patterns along her neck up to her ear. She then felt a light touch along her chest, as the beautiful stranger began slowly unbuttoning her top. Natsuki felt another shiver race through her body, and her eyes nearly rolled up into her head when she felt a soft bite along her neck. Those dancing fingers then pushed off her top, revealing the small undershirt she wore inside. Then Natsuki felt perfectly-sculpted lips take one of her nipples into a hot mouth, and she almost cried out at the heated desire that shot straight through her.

It was also what _finally_ got her mind to wrestle control from her body, and Natsuki hurriedly pushed the beguiling woman sitting on her gently off her lap with a loud gasp.

The honey-haired woman looked at Natsuki with surprised puzzlement in her eyes. No one who she was ordered to sleep with had ever pushed her away before. On the contrary, they usually tried to pull her against them as soon as possible. Shizuru decided that she wasn't doing enough to turn the young woman before her on, and so she redoubled her efforts.

Natsuki groaned long and hard as she felt a hand come up to cup and then pinch her breast and nipple, while another hand slipped down her flat stomach, and lightly covered her heated center.

"Ahh...umm...ugh...you have to...oh gods that feels good...but you have to stop...I'm not...I can't do this with you like this...I've never even met...you before," Natsuki struggled to gasp out as she gently rose to her feet, and carefully helped the alluring woman still in her arms to stand as well.

Shizuru continued to stare at the raven-haired stranger before her with confusion in her ruby-red eyes, before something like fear passed through them.

"B-But you can't...you _have_ to sleep with me! It's already been paid in full for. If Rei...if it's discovered that I didn't...'deliver'...when the customer has already paid in full he'll...I'll...you just _have_ to sleep with me!" Shizuru cried out as grasped Natsuki's strong shoulders, and looked desperately at the girl before her.

Natsuki could only stare back in bewilderment, before she found her voice and said, "but _I_ didn't pay for...for..._this_. My trouble-making 'friends' did. They always threatened to 'hire' someone for me when I turned 21, because they believed that I wasn't getting enough 'action'. I didn't think that they would actually go through with it," Natsuki muttered under her breath.

"It doesn't matter _who_ paid for my services. I _have_ to report back that I had a 'very' satisfied customer. My employer...he...he doesn't accept failures very well," Shizuru murmured softly, as her garnet-red gaze drifted slowly to the ground between them.

_A hard hit across her delicate face. Shakily applying make-up to a bruised eye as she tried desperately to hold in tears, while trying not to mess up the make-up with her shaking hands._

Shizuru quickly shook her head to dispel the painful memories and when she looked back up, it was into caring compassion-filled, emerald eyes. Shizuru found her breath taken away by the tender look being given to her by this stranger.

_No one has looked at me with such kindness since...since Mama..._

"Okay listen here, this is what we're gonna do. I'm a police officer cadet. I'm going to be graduating soon, and I _know_ a bad situation when I see one. Normally, I'm supposed to 'bring in' someone like you for essentially prostituting," Natsuki said as she pinned the even more frightened-looking Shizuru with her jade-coloured eyes.

"But considering I'm still only a cadet and not a full-fledged officer, I think I can turn a blind eye this time," Natsuki continued with a wink and a grin, as she watched the brunette's shoulders sag with obvious relief.

Shizuru let out a small breath she hadn't even known she'd been holding, and nodded as she stepped back from the stranger, and stood in the middle of the room suddenly feeling very vulnerable. She wasn't used in the slightest to just being in her paying client's presence, without doing something that well...'earned' that pay.

"But what do I do now? I can't go back yet. It's way too early and my employer will _definitely_ know that things didn't go as they should, if I show back up this early," Shizuru said as she looked down nervously at her hands, which were clasped tightly before her.

Natsuki just gave her another grin, walked slowly forward, and lightly took one of Shizuru's hands into her own. Shizuru's russet-coloured eyes quickly flashed upwards, and a silent question played across her lips. Natsuki allowed her grin to soften, as she gently began tugging the tawny-haired girl towards her apartment kitchen.

"Come on, I'll make you a cup of tea and we can just...relax. You can just hang out here until it's time for you to go back," Natsuki answered, as she continued to grin lightly at the brunette.

Shizuru nodded numbly as she allowed herself to be led into the well-lit kitchen. It wasn't a very large kitchen, but it carried within it a feeling of warmth and care. Shizuru settled down into a chair at a small wooden table, and watched quietly as the raven-haired women went about heating up water, pulling out tea from a cupboard, and taking out cups to pour the tea in.

"Why are you doing this?" Shizuru asked in a soft voice, as she slipped her hands around the slightly-hot cup of sweet-smelling tea Natsuki had finished brewing, and placed down on the table before her. "You don't even know me, and in fact the one thing you _do_ know about me, you could have me locked away for. So why are you being so nice to me?" Shizuru asked, as she lowered her head to look down into the hot liquid before her.

Natsuki looked pensively down into her own cup of tea, before she took a small sip of the sweet liquid. She remained quiet for so long that Shizuru began to wonder if she would even answer.

"You remind me of my mother," Natsuki replied in a low voice, tinged with sadness and regret.

"She lived a hard life, like I imagine you do. We didn't have much when I was growing up, but I _did_ have my mother's unconditional love and support. She did...what you do to keep a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. Unfortunately she was...taken away from me, when I was finally at an age where I could actually start working legitimately to help us get by. It's part of the reason I decided to become a police officer. To take down those who heartlessly took my mother away from me. And now I see you, a beautiful young woman about my age, in almost the exact same situation she was in. I can't...I can't just ignore that. There may not be much that I can do about your situation right now, but I _can_ at least give you this for tonight. A safe place where you don't have to worry about 'pleasing' me in any kind of way. You can just be...yourself and enjoy this small amount of time, where no one is asking or demanding anything of you," Natsuki said with a soft smile towards the young woman sitting across the table from her.

It was Shizuru's turn to wear an expression of stunned shock, but that didn't last long before silent tears began to fall from her shimmering, garnet-red eyes.

Natsuki's own eyes widened in alarm and she quickly put down her cup, rose from her chair, and rushed to the side of the crying young woman.

"Hey hey now, shhhh. Please don't cry. It's okay now, you're safe here...shhh," Natsuki murmured softly, as she gathered the crying brunette into her strong arms, and gently began to rock her.

Shizuru clutched tightly onto the front of Natsuki's shirt, and buried her face against the dark-haired girl's neck, as she allowed herself to freely and openly cry like she hadn't done in a very long time. For the first time in years she finally felt safe enough to fully let down her guard, and feel the emotions she usually kept buried deep down inside.

_And it had all happened...in the arms of a stranger._

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><p>Thank you so much to everyone who read, and to everyone who took the time to review! Heart you guys, and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter ^.^<p>

Please review and let me know what you all thought of it. Thanks! =3_  
><em>


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you okay now," Natsuki asked softly, as she lightly brushed away a few stray tears from Shizuru's face.

Shizuru nodded lightly as she also wiped at the tear tracks left on her face. She felt faintly embarrassed to have just started crying in this stranger's arms, but the ebony-haired girl had definitely made her feel safe, so she didn't really mind all that much. She knew that once she walked back out the front door, this small time of peace would be forever gone. Shizuru decided that she would try to savour this night for as long as she could.

"Come on, let's get you washed up a bit," Natsuki said with a light grin as she rose to her full height, and held out her hand for the honey-haired girl to take.

Shizuru nodded once again, and lightly placed her hand in Natsuki's. She was easily pulled to her feet, and idly noted that the sable-haired girl was slightly taller than her, by perhaps a couple of inches. Still it was enough that Shizuru had to cant her eyes slightly upward, and she found herself lowering them back down quickly and shyly, as a faint blush coloured her cheeks.

_I'm blushing! I **never** blush. Certainly not with paying clients...but this girl...she's like no other client I've ever been with before. She makes me feel...like I'm an actual human being, and not just a piece of meat to be used and tossed out._

"Oh, I almost forgot. I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Natsuki. Natsuki Kuga. What's your name?" Natsuki asked with a smile, and a curious tilt of her head towards the brunette.

"I'm ahh...my name is Shizuru. Shizuru...Fujino," Shizuru said softly if not a bit hesitantly. She herself had not used her family name is years. She was just usually referred to as 'Shizuru', Reito's best 'girl'. It was kind of...nice...to actually tell another person her full name. It made a small smile tug up the corners of Shizuru's lips.

Natsuki grinned back brightly, as she saw the smile working its way across the brunette's lips.

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Shizuru. Let me show you to the bathroom so you can wash your face," Natsuki said as she reached forward, and gently entwined her fingers with Shizuru's. Then not waiting to notice the slightly-stunned and shy look that crossed Shizuru's face, Natsuki gently tugged the other woman in the direction of her bathroom.

Once in the bathroom, Shizuru carefully washed away the tear stains and messed up make-up on her face, leaving her skin feeling fresh in a way that it hadn't in a long time. For once she was just her regular self. No make-up to hide her natural features.

_Tonight is a night of many firsts,_ Shizuru thought to herself with a small smile, as she exited the bathroom. Once she stepped out of the bathroom, a small bundle of clothes was held up and presented before her slightly-surprised face.

Natsuki stood by the bathroom door holding up one of her own large t-shirts, and a pair of comfy shorts with a light, shy blush on her face.

"Figured you may wanna wear something a little more...comfortable...than what you have on since you'll be staying here for a while longer," Natsuki said with a light, slightly-nervous grin as she gently handed the clothes over to the brunette.

Shizuru nodded quietly as she took the clothes, a light blush also staining her cheeks, and she stepped back into the bathroom to change into Natsuki's loaned clothes. Once she had finished changing, Shizuru once again stepped out of the bathroom. The shirt was a little big as were the shorts, but they were comfy and made her feel a sense of warmth that she couldn't remember feeling in her current life.

"Okay, I'm all changed," Shizuru said with another shy grin, as she clutched her own clothes against her chest.

Natsuki returned the grin and said, "come on, lets go put your clothes down in my bedroom. And then lets go watch a movie and have some popcorn."

Shizuru tilted her head curiously. "A movie...and popcorn..." Shizuru said a bit hesitantly.

Natsuki smiled softly and kindly at Shizuru, as she reached forward and gently took one of the brunette's hands into her own.

"Yeah, a movie and some popcorn. I know...with your line of work, you almost certainly don't get to do...normal everyday stuff like just relaxing in front of the TV, and sharing snacks with someone," Natsuki replied gently, as she led Shizuru first to her bedroom where the chestnut-haired girl placed her folded clothes at the end of Natsuki's bed. Then she led the crimson-eyed girl out to her small living room, and gently tugged her down onto her couch.

Shizuru followed along behind Natsuki in somewhat of a daze. She was wholly and completely out of her element at this point, but not in an unpleasant way. This dark-haired stranger...Natsuki...was showing her a whole new way of life...a simple everyday life that she had missed out on growing up, and she wanted to soak up as much of it as she possibly could.

Because she knew that come the morning, her magical fairytale night would all come to an end.

"Alright, now just wait right here while I go make us some popcorn. You can watch whatever you want while I'm in the kitchen," Natsuki said with a happy grin, as she handed Shizuru the TV remote, and almost bounced excitedly into the kitchen.

Shizuru giggled lightly as she watched Natsuki almost skip away. She then began idly flipping through channels, not really interested in anything that was on, but just wanting to pass the time until the sable-haired girl came back. Which she did in record time carrying a bowl full of freshly popped popcorn, and set it on the low-standing table before the couch.

Natsuki then went to her small entertainment center, grabbed a DVD, and popped it into its player. She wasn't really sure what she'd grabbed, but it would most likely be a movie that had a fair amount of action and good comedy. Natsuki then stepped back over to the couch, and settled onto the corner opposite from Shizuru, who was sitting with her legs curled up under her.

They both reached for a handful of popcorn, and both tried to hide the slight shiver that went through them, as their fingers lightly brushed against each other.

As the movie progressed, Natsuki watched the brunette out of the corner of her eye. Shizuru became more and more relaxed as the movie went on, even letting down her ingrained guard to the point of giggling out loud at all the comedic parts of the film.

Natsuki found a soft smile coming to her lips as she watched Shizuru enjoy herself like this. She just _knew_ that Shizuru most likely never got a chance to just be a young woman like this, and Natsuki bit her lip pensively as she tried to think up a way to allow the brunette to enjoy more moments like this.

Time slowly passed as they both focused on the movie, enjoying it to the fullest, and quickly emptying the bowl of the popcorn. Natsuki got up halfway through the movie to get them both drinks, and somehow during the course of the film they found themselves getting closer and closer to the middle of the couch. Until by the end of the movie, Natsuki found herself waking up with a small start, realizing that she had fallen asleep at some point during the movie, and now had a sleeping brunette leaning her head against her shoulder.

Natsuki blushed lightly at how close Shizuru was to her, and she could smell a faint scent of lilacs on her.

Not wanting to wake Shizuru up, Natsuki carefully and slowly moved out from under the brunette, cradling her head and gently arranging the honey-haired woman out, so that she was now laying fully on the couch.

Natsuki then quickly went to her room, and returned with a soft blanket which she gently placed over the sleeping woman. Natsuki stepped back and smiled down at the chestnut-haired girl, who with all the stress and worries of her waking life erased from her face, looked like a teenage girl in deep sleep.

_She shouldn't have to do what she does everyday. I **have** to find a way to get her out of this life. I owe it to you Mom to not allow someone else so young, to have her life ruined or taken away from being in this 'profession',_ Natsuki thought to herself as she moved back into her room, and brought out another blanket and a small pillow.

Natsuki lightly placed the pillow on the ground before the couch, and then laid down on the carpeted floor, and drew the blanket over her body. She could have stayed in her room to sleep, but she couldn't leave Shizuru out here to sleep by herself. Even if the brunette would have no clue whether she was kept company or not, with how deeply she was sleeping. Natsuki just couldn't leave her on her own even if most of the night had already passed, and daybreak was now only a few hours away.

Natsuki then stifled a yawn, grabbed the TV remote, and turned the set off. The room was immediately thrown into darkness, and Natsuki snuggled down into her blanket, and fell asleep with a small smile on her face.

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><p>Shizuru's ruby-red eyes snapped open, and she looked around herself in mild confusion of where she was. Then the fairytale night that she had just spent flashed through her mind, and she slowly made herself sit up on the couch. A small digital clock sitting on a small table beside the couch read 4:01am in bright, red digits. Shizuru had trained her body to instantly awaken at 4:00am, as it was always a good time to slip out of her paying client's bed, and vanish into the pre-dawn morning.<p>

Shizuru looked down and in the faint light coming from the glowing clock's light, she saw a bundled form at her feet. Shizuru smiled down sadly at the still-sleeping Natsuki.

Her fairytale night was now officially over, and the harsh realities of her true life were once again staring her hard in the face.

She had to get back to Reito.

Shizuru lightly and quickly moved from under the covers that she realized with a soft smile, Natsuki must have placed over her sometime during the night. She carefully stepped over Natsuki and made her way slowly down the hallway in the near-darkness, to the cobalt-haired woman's bedroom to retrieve her clothes. She then quickly changed back into her own outfit, neatly folded the clothes Natsuki had lent her, gently fingering the soft fabric of the shirt, before she shook her head and made her way back out to the front door.

Shizuru paused briefly by the front door, and looked over her shoulder back down the darkened hallway to the living room. Then with a soft sigh of regret, Shizuru quietly and carefully opened the front door, and stepped out into the early twilight morning. And walked straight into a solid chest and crossed arms. Shizuru blinked in confusion and looked up into glinting, emerald-green eyes.

"You weren't planning on leaving without saying goodbye were you? You gotta remember I'm training to be a cop. I knew the instant that you woke up and began moving around. I've been trained to wake up early myself and to sleep lightly," Natsuki said with a small grin, as she looked at the slightly-stunned woman before her.

Shizuru's mouthed opened and closed a few times, as she tried to verbalize a response. She then took Natsuki by unexpected surprise herself by quickly leaning forward, and claiming the ebony-haired woman's lips in a searing kiss that left Natsuki stunned with sudden desire. Shizuru then ripped her lips away and made a dash down the walkway to the stairs, that led to the bottom floor of Natsuki's apartment complex.

Natsuki lost a few precious seconds as her mind, which had been derailed by that heart-stopping kiss, had to find its way back onto its tracks. By the time she had managed to gather her thoughts, Shizuru was already running quickly down the path before the apartment complex, and disappearing into the early morning twilight.

Natsuki cursed silently for allowing herself to be so easily distracted, and letting Shizuru get away. She then quickly turned on her heel, and went back into her apartment, slamming the door hard behind her.

She had two trouble-making friends she had to wake up to get a number.

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><p>"Well good, I see that you're back on time as usual from your 'night out' Shizuru," Reito drawled from behind his desk, where he lounged in his office chair. "You must have done a <em>very<em> good job with that client last night, because I just received a call from her requesting your 'services' again. Very good, my pet. I think that we're going to have a _very_ lucrative repeat customer here," Reito said with a smile, that always sent an unpleasant shiver down the spine of the brunette standing before him.

_Natsuki...**paid** to see me again...why...why would she do that?_ Shizuru wondered in complete bewilderment to herself.

"Oh, and she's asking to pay for your company for the _whole_ day. I'm not sure what the fuck you did to this woman last night...well besides _fuck_ her of course, but it must have rocked her little world if she wants to see you again this badly," Reito said with a smirk as he rose fluidly from his chair, and walked over to Shizuru.

"Just remember this one thing, darling. You belong to _me_. And you will _always_ belong to me. So don't get any funny ideas in your pretty little head of getting...'attached' to anyone. I'll allow you to...'play' with this girl, who seems so taken with you a little while longer. The money is good, and you _know_ I'm a man who enjoys his money...and his toys," Reito purred into Shizuru's ear as he pressed his body hard against hers, and slid his hand down until he was firmly gripping her shapely behind.

Shizuru stiffened in his grasp, but she didn't say a word.

She never did.

"Oh, and I've heard word that your sister is still happy and safe attending that school out in the countryside. She's received the monthly check that you always have sent out to her. She still doesn't know who her benefactor is, but she's happy enough living out there going to that boarding school and living the life of a happy, carefree teenager. And you want your only living relative to _continue_ living out such a carefree happy existence, don't you Shizuru? Even if she herself doesn't have a clue about _your_ existence," Reito drawled into her ear before he bite down on it, and licked his tongue across it.

Shizuru did her best to keep the revulsed reaction from her body from showing, but it always did in the form of a small shudder, which caused Reito to laugh out loud before he smacked her hard on her ass.

"Now go get yourself cleaned up and changed. You have to go back out to that girl's place by midday," Reito continued, as he began making his way out of his office. "Oh and remember, I _own_ you, darling. Never forget that at _any_ point that you're out 'playing' today. You...are...**mine**," Reito said as his voice dropped to a low deadly, possessive tone before he walked out the office door, and slammed it hard behind him.

Shizuru stood in the middle of the room and shivered uncontrollably for a few seconds, before finally moving off to begin getting ready for the rest of her day.

**_A few hours later..._**

A gentle knock on her front door had Natsuki scrambling to her feet and rushing towards the door to fling it wide open, without even looking to see who was on the other side.

A shyly-smiling Shizuru stood before her, with her hand raised in a small wave.

"Hello again, Natsuki. I'll be your date for the rest of the day."

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><p><em>To be continued~<em>

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><p><strong>AN<strong> - Wow...have I mentioned already that I heart you guys? Yes? Then let me state it again just because I HEART you guys. Muchly~

Thank you all so very much for the reviews for my last chapter! They inspired me to write a longer chapter (long for me XD) and I hope you all enjoyed it =3

Please review again to let me know what you all thought about it ^.^


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello again, Natsuki. I'll be your date for the rest of the day."

The cobalt-haired woman before Shizuru let a bright smile cross her face, as she reached forward and lightly wrapped her fingers around Shizuru's wrist. Natsuki then gently tugged Shizuru in through her front door, and into her apartment.

"Good to see you again, Shizuru. And so soon," Natsuki replied with a smug, little smile she was trying to hide and was failing terribly at.

Shizuru stood in the middle of the room she had been pulled into, moving a bit nervously from one foot to the other.

"Natsuki..." Shizuru began softly...hesitantly. "Why did you do it? Why did you...'purchase' me for the day. You made my...employer...upset...and he grew quite possessive. He's a _very_ smart and crafty man. He seemed to immediately sense something...different about you. This is a dangerous game you're playing, Natsuki. My employer doesn't like when other people start playing...with his toys..." Shizuru's voice trailed off weakly at this last word.

Natsuki looked silently at Shizuru for a few seconds before she turned on her heel, and quickly made her way down the hallway towards her bedroom.

Shizuru looked curiously at Natsuki's vanishing back and then continued to watch quietly, as Natsuki came back up the hallway to stand before her.

"Well just so you know, I can be pretty dangerous myself," Natsuki said lightly, as she pulled something from behind her back, and lightly cocked back on the gleaming silver magnum pistol that she now held in her hand.

Shizuru merely raised one honey-coloured eyebrow lightly, as she already knew that Natsuki was a police cadet, so it wouldn't be unexpected for her to have her own weapon at home. And Reito carried his own weapon at all times, so she was more than used to being around people with guns.

"Well, it's good to see that you are at least well-equipped, though I still stand by my warning. Be careful with what you believe you are doing, Natsuki. I do not need to be 'saved'. I do not need a 'protector'. I know exactly what I am doing with my life, and I have my own personal reasons why I do what I do. I do not need a 'knight in shining armor' to come in and rescue me from my _deeds_," Shizuru said in a soft, hollow-sounding tone.

Natsuki un-cocked her weapon, and leaned forward to place it temporarily in a side table drawer. She then fixed the brunette before her with a small, unhappy frown.

"I'm sorry, Shizuru. I'm not trying to be your 'knight in shining armor.' I just thought...I just wanted...can't we just be frie...look...you're a really nice person. You try to hide that but I can already tell that you are. There is just...something about you that makes me want to spend some more time with you. And unfortunately, the only way for me to be able to do that is by 'buying' your time. Understandably if we had sex then this would fall under prostitution, and I'd find myself on the other side of the law I'm in training to uphold. But I'm not 'paying' you for _sex_. I just want to hang out with you today. That's all. Think of it as...an innocent 'escort service'. You keep me company as we go around town, and earn a little money on the side for it. Think of yourself as my 'tour guide', for simple fun around the city for the day," Natsuki said with an almost smirking grin.

Shizuru stared silently at Natsuki for a full half minute before she burst out laughing, slightly startling Natsuki before the ebony-haired woman joined in on the laughter. Shizuru allowed a few stray giggles to escape her, as she wiped away a tear or two from her eyes, before she turned a truly amused smile on the woman before her.

"My my, Ms Kuga. You _do_ seem to have an answer for practically everything I throw at you, now don't you? I can see even from now that you will make an _excellent_ police officer. You don't back down from a challenge, and you certainly don't give up when you decide you want something. I believe that I am going to enjoy this day out with you," Shizuru said as she flashed a smile at the dark-haired woman, that made Natsuki's heart skip a beat...or two.

"Ah...ah well...I...it's nothing like tha...dammit woman!" Natsuki stammered out as her face flamed bright red in shy embarrassment. No one had ever been able to pinpoint these attributes that she thought she kept well-hidden so easily, and it left the indigo-haired woman more flustered than she remembered being in a while.

"A-Anyway, we have things to do. Wait right here while I go get our...equipment...that we're going to need to start out this day," Natsuki said as her face began cooling down and she flashed Shizuru a roguish grin, before she turned and made her way back down the hallway towards her bedroom.

Shizuru stood curiously waiting again to see what Natsuki brought back this time. Her crimson-eyes widened when she saw the objects Natsuki was carrying back in her hands.

"Oh no no, I'm sorry Natsuki but that is _not_ going to work," Shizuru said in a vehement tone.

Natsuki just grinned brightly at the chestnut-haired woman, and held the objects in her left hand up before her body, and indicated for Shizuru to take them.

"Oh yes yes, this is most _definitely_ going to work, Shizuru. We are going rollerblading!" Natsuki exclaimed, as she deposited the pair of rollerblades she held out into Shizuru's hands.

"Natsuki, I can't rollerblade," Shizuru said in dismay, as she looked down at the skates in her hands as if they were radioactive.

Natsuki laughed at the expression Shizuru was making, thinking to herself that the brunette looked cute even when wearing an expression of total disdain.

"I figured as much, but you're gonna learn today. I _love_ rollerblading, and I want to share something with you that I truly enjoy doing," Natsuki said as she gave Shizuru a soft smile, while slinging her own pair of blades up onto her shoulder.

Shizuru let out a deep resigned sigh, and turned ruby-red eyes up to stare into jade-green. Shizuru then gave Natsuki a slightly-sardonic grin as she replied, "okay then, I guess we're going rollerblading."

* * *

><p>"NatsukiNatsukiNatsuki, I'm falling!" Shizuru cried out as she tried her best to balance on the rollerblades, while her arms pinwheeled and she began falling backwards towards the hard pavement of the city park.<p>

"Ooof!" Natsuki exclaimed, as she quickly caught the falling brunette in her strong arms, and helped her shuffle over to a nearby park bench.

"Natsuki, I'm sorry but these things on my feet should be classified as deadly weapons. They're trying to kill me!" an incredibly-flustered Shizuru exclaimed, while desperately trying to regain her composure.

Natsuki did her best...she really really did...but the ebony-haired woman found herself bursting out laughing at the agitated, sexy-looking-even-when-slightly-sweaty woman sitting beside her.

Shizuru looked incredulously at the laughing woman beside her, and let out a _huff_ as she crossed her arms over her chest, and scowled slightly down at the pavement below her. "Glad you're finding my complete inability to skate so amusing. I _told_ you that I'd never rollerbladed before in my life," Shizuru pouted, as she continued to look down at the ground.

"Aww, come on I'm sorry," Natsuki said as she allowed her laughter to trail off, and a small grin to cross her face. The ebony-haired woman then leaned forward and gently poked Shizuru against her cheek. "No pouting now. It's incredibly cute on you and kinda sexy too, but let me show you how to skate one more time. We'll go slower this time, I promise," Natsuki said as her grin grew slightly when the brunette beside her blushed a bit, when Natsuki lightly poked her finger against her cheek.

"Well...alright. I'm willing to give this _one_ more try," Shizuru said with a small agreeable smile, as she let Natsuki pull her carefully back up to wobbly feet. A strong arm came about Shizuru's slender waist and the brunette felt herself blush a bit, as Natsuki pulled her close against her body. The two of them then pushed off and away from the park bench and continued rolling slowly down the path, staying close beside each other the whole way.

* * *

><p>"Oh my, I am exhausted but I must admit once I got the hang of it, rollerblading was fun," Shizuru said with a grin, as she sat beside the dark-haired woman at an outside table of a small sidewalk cafe.<p>

"Told you you'd enjoy yourself," Natsuki replied with a grin before she flagged down a waitress, and put in an order for a cool iced tea. Shizuru ordered a regular hot cup of tea, which earned her a raised eyebrow from Natsuki.

"We just spent almost 3 hours rolling around, sweating in the hot sun, and then you order a cup of _hot_ tea after all that," Natsuki said with an amused smile pulling at her lips.

Shizuru paid Natsuki absolutely no mind, as she wrapped her fingers around the cup of tea the server had just placed before her. She then closed her eyes in blissful pleasure as the hot liquid slipped down her throat, and she sighed happily when she had finished taking her first few sips.

Natsuki just shook her head and continued to smile in amusement, as she raised her _cold_ glass of tea up to her lips, and heartily drank half of the glass in a few deep gulps.

"Natsuki? Natsuki! Awesome running into you like this. And who is this with yo...whoa! It's Miss Stripper!" a loud voice exclaimed right behind Natsuki, causing the sable-haired woman to almost choke on her drink. Natsuki hurriedly turned around in her seat, and yanked her loudmouthed red-haired friend down into the empty seat beside her.

"Can you _be_ any louder? Dammit, Nao," Natsuki growled out in displeasure, as she slowly removed the hand she had quickly slapped over her friend's mouth, once she had her seated.

"Sorry about Nao, Natsuki. I would have kicked her to be quiet if I knew she was going to do that," another much quieter voice spoke up, and Natsuki watched as Mai sat down in the last available seat at the table.

Shizuru watched the three friends quietly, as she sipped lightly from her cup of tea. Her body had immediately tensed when Nao had called out her 'greeting'. She was feeling decided uncomfortable with these two other females around, as they both _knew_ what she did for a living.

"So, what are the two of you doing out here together like this? Almost looks like a date to me. Did Ms. Stripper here _really_ make such a good impression on you last night, you guys decided to take things even _further_," Nao said with a lecherous grin.

Shizuru calmly and quietly put her cup back down on its saucer with a soft _clink_. Then she slowly rose to her feet, and fixed Natsuki with an unreadable stare.

"Thank you for the day out Natsuki. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut it short. I have...things I must attend to," Shizuru said in a slightly-stiff tone, before she began walking quickly away.

Natsuki shot Nao a furious glare before she rose quickly to her feet, almost knocking over her chair in her haste, and rushed after Shizuru's rapidly-walking form.

"Good job, Nao," Mai said sarcastically as she leveled a glare at her troublesome, red-haired friend.

"What did I do?" Nao asked looking around in honest confusion, as to why almost everyone had suddenly gotten up and left.

* * *

><p>"Shizuru! Wait! Shizuru, please wait!" Natsuki called out, as she rushed forward and gently grabbed Shizuru's wrist. She turned the other woman around with surprisingly little resistance, and was heart-stricken to see Shizuru's tear-brightened crimson eyes.<p>

"Shizuru..." Natsuki trailed off softly. They were both standing in the middle of the sidewalk, and it didn't provide very much in the form of privacy. So Natsuki quickly tugged the other woman to the entrance of a small alleyway, and gently placed her so that Shizuru's back was pressed lightly up against the wall, while Natsuki faced her.

"Listen I'm sorry about Nao, and her overly-crass mouth. But _please_ Shizuru, don't allow it to upset you like this. She really didn't mean anything by what she called you. She just...doesn't really know how to say things more...delicately," Natsuki said, as she gently ran her fingers down the side of Shizuru's tear-stained face.

Shizuru shook her head, dislodging Natsuki's fingers from her face as she turned her body slightly away from the other woman, and lightly wrapped her arms around her body as if she were cold.

"It's not as if what she said was wrong though, Natsuki. I _am_ what I am. I sell my body for money. It's what I've been doing for the last half of my life, and it's what I'll be doing for however long it takes me to...well...I _have_ my reasons for doing this," Shizuru said quietly, as she stared off almost sightlessly down the empty alleyway.

A gentle touch again against her cheek had Shizuru turning her gaze back to look into soft, emerald-green eyes.

"Shizuru...please tell me _why_ you are in this profession. Maybe...maybe there is something I could do to help you, so that you don't have to live this kind of life anymore," Natsuki asked earnestly.

Shizuru looked conflicted for a few seconds before she let out a deep sigh, and gently pushed her way passed Natsuki and stood a few feet away, with her back turned towards the ebony-haired woman.

"Stay away from me, Natsuki. There is nothing...absolutely _nothing_ that you can do for me. I have already signed my life away to Reito, and there is nothing you or anyone else can do to change that. Let this be the _very_ last time we cross paths with each other. Goodbye Natsuki...thank you for...for letting me feel what it _would_ have been like to be free," Shizuru whispered in a softly choked voice, before she began striding swiftly away down the alleyway.

Natsuki stepped forward with her arm raised, her mouth opened to say something..._anything_...to call Shizuru back, but she knew that there would be no convincing Shizuru to stay this time. So she let Shizuru...walk away.

Natsuki allowed her arm to fall listlessly back to her side, as she watched unhappily as Shizuru walked away, and possibly walked out of her life for good.

But then something Shizuru had said began needling her brain, and Natsuki realized with a start that Shizuru _had_ just provided her with a _very_ valuable piece of information. She could use this information to begin an investigation, and just maybe be able to find out what she needed, to get Shizuru safely out of this life she was chained to. Natsuki wasn't sure if Shizuru had just provided that bit of information on purpose, or if it had been an unintentional slip of the tongue. Either way, Natsuki now had a starting point. A lead. And she would use all of the resources available to her to trace this lead back to its source.

_Reito...I have your name now, you sleazebag hustler. _

_I have you now._

* * *

><p><strong>AN<strong> - Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews and your alerts and faves. You continue to inspire me to keep writing the best I can for you all ^_^

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you all thought of it ^.^_  
><em>


	5. Chapter 5

Natsuki had done what Shizuru asked of her, and she had not seen the chestnut-haired woman in over two weeks.

But she hadn't been sitting around idly during that time either. Natsuki had asked her friend and fellow police candidate, Aoi Senoh, to dig up any and all information she could on this 'Reito'.

Aoi had agreed on the condition that Natsuki treat her and her girlfriend, Chie Harada, to dinner at a semi-expensive restaurant downtown. Natsuki had groaned at the deal, but had given in as she _really_ needed that information on Shizuru's 'pimp'. She knew that she was asking a pretty big favour of Aoi, as her friend would have to 'sneak' into the police database system to get the information. Honestly, Natsuki really owed Aoi at least _three_ dinners, and if her friend requested them Natsuki decided she would gladly give them to her.

It had taken Aoi over a week of slow and careful searching, as she had to do her research at times when there wasn't anyone to look over her shoulder while she searched. But eventually she did find information on Reito, and what Natsuki learned about the man made her blood absolutely boil.

With this information, Natsuki decided she could at least try talking with Shizuru again, to see if the chestnut-haired woman would somehow find a away to help her bring Reito down.

But Shizuru had warned her off, and would _not_ be happy if Natsuki was to just stroll back into her life.

**~o~o~o~**

"Guys, I do _not_ think that this is a very good idea," Natsuki said in a protesting voice, as she was tugged through the front doors of a particular strip club, well past midnight.

"Ah loosen up, Kuga. You've been tense and anxious for over two weeks now. Mai and I decided you needed a break. Being a police candidate must be _really_ stressing you out, and you need to have a little...'fun' put back into your life," Nao said with a smirk, as she pulled her dark-haired friend through the darkened club room towards the front stage, where there were already two practically naked girls gyrating on the stage. Surprisingly to Natsuki, there was only one other patron in the strip club, and he was already leaving after slipping what must have been his last dollar bill, into the front of the thong worn by a sexy blond on stage. The man then stumbled to the front door and out, obviously completely drunk.

"Nao is absolutely right, Natsuki. You've been uber tense lately, and it's been a while since we last saw you relaxed. And what other way to help relax you than coming out to the strip club!" Mai exclaimed, as she half-pushed Natsuki down into a seat at a table right before the stage, and took the seat beside her ebony-haired friend.

"You two have the most _ridiculous_ ideas of what will 'relax' me," Natsuki growled out as she made to rise from her seat, and make her escape before a certain honey-brunette that she _knew_ worked at this strip club appeared.

Natsuki didn't make it more than two steps however before the strobing red, green, and yellow lights of the club all focused on the entrance at the back of the stage, and an absolute vision walked out before Natsuki's widened-green eyes.

The honey-haired brunette was wearing a metallic-silver, barely-there thong bikini. Shizuru's full luscious breasts were straining to be held inside the bikini she was squeezed into, and the thong bottom left little to the imagination.

Nao and Mai turned to each other and smirked before they both got up, pushed Natsuki back into her seat, and held her down by her shoulders. Natsuki barely responded to them, as all of her attention was focused intently on Shizuru.

The sandy-haired woman had also seen Natsuki, and her catwalk down the stage halted momentarily, before she continued her sensual stroll down the walkway. Once Shizuru reached the front of the stage she took the place of a dark-brown haired woman, who walked off the stage and went backstage through the entrance Shizuru had entered in through.

Natsuki gulped softly as she watched Shizuru gyrate, and seemingly make love to the metal pole coming up through the middle of the stage. The chestnut-haired woman wrapped her slender legs around the pole and slid herself up and down it, the place between her legs slipping and sliding all along the metal surface. Natsuki felt her mouth go dry as Shizuru then crawled along the stage floor, until she was looking directly into Natsuki's still-wide emerald green eyes. Natsuki received a full, unobstructed view of Shizuru's cleavage, and she felt her throat go dry and her breathing become shallow.

"I believe our jobs here are done, don't you Mai?" Nao questioned as she smirked at Mai once more, before lightly patting Natsuki on her shoulder. She then turned and began walking away towards the club entrance. Mai patted Natsuki on the shoulder as well in encouragement, before she quickly followed after Nao as they both left the strip club.

Natsuki panicked as she watched her friends walking away. She couldn't believe that they had dragged her here, and then were leaving her behind like this. She had wanted to see Shizuru again, yes.

But not like this!

Shizuru was watching her intensely, as she continued her routine on stage. And just as Natsuki was beginning to relax a bit, thinking that she wouldn't actually have to _talk_ to the honey-brunette, Natsuki watched as Shizuru's attention was suddenly drawn to a shadowy figure standing just inside a darkened doorway, on the other side of the stage from Natsuki. The door obviously led to the back office, and Natsuki watched as this shadowy figure nodded their head. A look of reluctance across Shizuru's face, but she nodded back to the figure and slowly rose sensually to her feet. The blond who had been dancing beside Shizuru slipped off the stage, and left through the back stage entrance, leaving only Natsuki and Shizuru together in the club.

Shizuru slipped off of the stage using a small set of steps on the side of the stage, and she walked with a roll to her hips over to Natsuki.

Natsuki's breath was coming out in short, heavy puffs as she drank in the sight of the beautiful woman walking sensually towards her. Once Shizuru was finally before Natsuki she didn't waste any time, and slipped her legs over Natsuki's legs and straddled the sable-haired woman's lap. Natsuki breath immediately caught in her throat, and her hands came up of their own will to lay claim to Shizuru's soft waist.

The honey-haired woman then began to slip her hips, legs, and behind back and forth, to and fro, and curl her body all over the raven-haired woman's body. Natsuki's eyes slipped closed and she couldn't fight the low moan that slipped passed her lips. Shizuru dropped her arms around Natsuki's neck and shoulders, and leaned herself forward so that she could press her lips hotly against Natsuki's ear.

"What are you doing here, Natsuki? I thought I told you to _never_ come near me again," Shizuru whispered as she slipped her tongue out, and slid it hotly down Natsuki's ear and neck.

Natsuki couldn't help the shiver she felt as Shizuru worked her tongue, lips, arms, and body against her. But at Shizuru's words, Natsuki mentally forced herself to break free of the spell Shizuru had effortlessly woven around her, and she gently pushed the other woman back so that she could gaze deeply into her eyes.

"I know...and I'm sorry. I hadn't intended to come here. My two friends...I'm sure you remember _them_...dragged me here and then ditched me to your mercy...ahh, left me here," Natsuki murmured in reply, as remained captive to Shizuru's intense ruby-eyed gaze.

Shizuru looked intently into Natsuki's jade-coloured eyes, searching their depths for what, Natsuki wasn't entirely sure of. Shizuru then leaned forward once more, and again spoke into Natsuki's ear in a heated whisper.

"You _need_ to get out of here, Natsuki. My boss isn't the kind of person you mess around with. Leave here _now_. Forget about me. And _never_ come back here."

With those final words whispered into Natsuki's ear, Shizuru lifted her body from Natsuki's lap. The dark-haired woman immediately missed the warm, pliant feel of Shizuru's body against hers.

"Shizuru _wait_, please don't walk away from me again. I've found out some information about this 'boss' of yours. Information that could possibly help you get out of here," Natsuki exclaimed, as she rose from her chair and made to follow after the honey-brunette.

Shizuru stopped dead in her tracks before Natsuki, and turned back to face her with scarlet eyes wide with fright.

"Natsuki, get out of here now! Reito is _not_ a man to be fucked with. He _will_ hurt you..._badly_ if you try to get in his way," Shizuru softly hissed at Natsuki, before she turned and walked quickly towards that shadowy door that Natsuki had noticed earlier.

Natsuki cursed under her breath, and kicked the chair she had been sitting in hard enough that it tipped over on its side.

She's lost Shizuru again.

**~o~o~o~**

_**SMACK**_

Shizuru's face and whole body made contact with the old fuzzy carpet that covered Reito's office floor, and she felt a trickle of of blood seep from her burst lip.

Her cheek would be black and blue the next day from the force of Reito's hit, and she'd have to once again have to find a way to cover of the mark with make-up.

Reito seemed more angry than usual with her though. This feeling was quickly confirmed as Reito reached down, and forcibly dragged her back to her feet. He then slapped her again, though he made sure to hold her tightly this time so that only her head snapped backwards, and not her whole body.

Shizuru let out a soft whimper of pain that she usually tried to hold in, as she hated showing any form of weakness in front of the asshole she had to call 'boss'.

"You dumb slut! Why did you disobey my orders and let that woman leave! How do you think my business makes money? By you and the other dumb bitches I own laying on your backs, and earning it for me! Business was fucking slow tonight, and you couldn't even work your ass well enough to make one bitch customer want to fuck you!" Reito roared in fury, as he began to shake the already-abused woman in his arms hard.

Shizuru couldn't answer as she felt her head snapping back and forth, and she worried for a moment if he would shake her until her neck broke.

"Let her go, you scum-sucking disgusting asshole! Let Shizuru go _right now_ before I _make_ you," a voice growled from Reito's open office door.

The dark-haired man's golden eyes snapped up in shock, as he looked up at the very woman he had been shouting at Shizuru about.

Natsuki stood in the entrance of Reito's door, with a gun raised and pointed straight at his head.

Reito didn't waste any time or questions about how, or why the woman with the gun was before him. He just quickly turned Shizuru around and pulled her against his chest, using her as a human shield. He then reached into the back of his pants, and pulled out his own handgun.

Reito smirked slightly as he watched the dark-haired woman's entire body tense, and she began to slowly lower her gun.

But then she lightly shook herself, and her gun was raised in a steady hand back up to his face, and she growled out at him again.

"Reito Kanzaki, I'm going to warn you _one_ more time. Put your fucking gun down _now_ or I blow your fucking brains out!" Natsuki cried out at the bastard before her, as she watched Shizuru trembling in pure fright in the man's arms.

The bruises, welts, and blood on Shizuru's delicate face was sending Natsuki into a fit of fury, but she knew that just the slightest of wrong moves could end things _very_ badly for both her and Shizuru.

"No, I don't believe I'm going to 'lower my gun'," Reito answered conversationally, as a wide smirk played across his lips. "I believe that you're going to lower _yours_," he continued with a darkly-dangerous purr.

Natsuki barely had another second to wonder what the hell the bastard was talking about, before she felt a swift heavy blow _strike_ her across the back of her head.

And as the world faded into blackness, and Natsuki heard Shizuru screaming her name in terrified panic, she had time for one last thought.

_Shit...I fucked up._

Then she slipped into the darkness that swiftly rushed in to embrace her, and she never even felt it when her face landed hard against the rough carpet.

* * *

><p><strong>AN<strong> - Thanks for all the support for this story everyone! I really hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, and please review and let me know what you all thought of it ^^


	6. Chapter 6

Natsuki moaned softly, as she groggily shook her head. That turned out to be a major mistake, as a sharp stabbing pain ripped through her aching head, and the pain pulsated behind her closed eyes. Another moan, louder this time, slipped passed her dry lips and Natsuki struggled to open her eyes. Once she did, she blinked a few times to try to focus her vision, and realized that she was in a semi-dark room. There was a faint light shining right above her head, but she didn't attempt to raise her head up to look. The pain would be excruciating she knew, if she tried to move her head again.

Natsuki lightly licked her dry lips, as she tried to move. It was then that she realized she was strapped tightly to a chair. She cursed under her breath as she tried to move her hands, which were strapped together behind her back, and her legs were each strapped to legs of the chair. She cursed again, but then her attention was quickly drawn to the single door of the room before her, and she watched two shady-looking guys walk into the room. They were both smirking and laughing cruelly, as they came into the room and stood before the dark-haired woman.

Then without warning, one of them smacked Natsuki hard across her face. The raven-haired woman felt her teeth knock inside her head, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain, causing her lip to puncture and bleed.

She wasn't going to give these scumbags the pleasure of hearing her cry out.

"Oh, you're a tough one, aren't ya? Well, that just means more fun for us. Reito said to make sure you received a _fitting_ welcome," one of the men sneered, as he leaned down and grabbed Natsuki by the face with his meaty, grubby hand.

Natsuki tried to yank her face from his hand, ignoring all the pain in her head the action caused, but the man's grip on her face just tightened and his smile became crueler.

"Hey, you got that special 'toy' we always like to use," the man holding Natsuki's face asked over his shoulder to the other man in the room. The other thug nodded, and pulled something dark from his pocket.

Natsuki began struggling more in her captive position, but the man just let go of her face and smacked her hard across it again, causing her ears to ring as she became dizzy from the blow.

"Stop struggling will ya! We got a nice _surprise_ for ya. Can't say _you're_ gonna enjoy it much. But _we_ sure will!" the man exclaimed as he began laughing loudly, while taking the dark object from the other thug.

Natsuki began struggling in the chair again, trying to move it and herself away from her assailants. But in the next blink of an eye the thug laughing before her thrust his hand out, and something cold and sharp touched her skin for a fraction of a second, before the most horrible and excruciating _shock_ zapped through her body.

_Stun gun,_ Natsuki mind managed to cry out to her, before everything around her faded into blackness again.

The next time Natsuki came to she instinctively began struggling to escape her bonds, but then soft and gentle fingers began tenderly stroking her face, and a soft caring voice gently 'shh-ed' her.

Natsuki slowly began to calm down, and she opened her eyes to focus on the beautiful vision of the honey-haired brunette. It didn't matter that Shizuru's face was mottled black and blue with bruises, and there was a spot of dried blood at the corner of her lips where her lip had been burst. She was still the most amazing sight Natsuki had ever seen.

"Hey...beautiful...do you...come here...often?" Natsuki struggled out around a mouth that felt like cotton had been stuffed into it, and a tongue that felt twice its normal size.

Shizuru smiled gently though sadly at the battered and bruised woman before her, as she continued to gently smooth her fingers down the sides of Natsuki's beaten face.

"You silly silly, woman. I _told_ you not to get involved with me and Reito, didn't I. And now look at where it's gotten you. Now how are you going to get out of this situation?" Shizuru asked softly, with what Natsuki could have sworn even in her half-groggy state, were tears in the chestnut-haired woman's voice.

Natsuki gave Shizuru a cocky, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, baby. I'll get us out of this mess somehow. You just wait and see. I'm Natsuki Kuga, the next best police officer. Some small-time scumbag can't and _won't_ keep me locked down," Natsuki said with a small smirk, and wink at Shizuru.

Shizuru blinked a couple of times before a soft, crystalline laugh escaped her, and Natsuki grinned wider at the beautiful sound. It was what she had wanted. A smile on Shizuru's face, and her tense body relaxed. Natsuki was _more_ than aware of how dire their situation was. But as long as they both remained cool and relaxed, they could rationally think their way out of this mess.

Shizuru let her laughter softly trail off but a small smile remained on her face, as she looked softly into Natsuki's jade-green eyes.

"You're something else, Natsuki Kuga. I still don't quite understand why you decided to involve yourself so much with me and my messed up life, but...I'm glad...I met you now," Shizuru said softly, as she leaned forward and gently brushed her lips across Natsuki's cheek.

It was then that Natsuki noticed something glinting lightly in between Shizuru's bosom.

_It was a razor!_ Natsuki realized with a start.

The small razor then slipped out of Shizuru's bosom, landing on Natsuki's lap as the chestnut-haired woman leaned forward even more, and pressed her body against Natsuki.

"Hey! No groping the prisoner!" a gruff voice called out from behind Shizuru, and it was then that Natsuki realized that they weren't alone in the darkened room.

"Aww, but Reito gave me permission to get her all 'worked up' one last time before...it's over for her. You wouldn't want to countermand one of Reito's orders, now would you?" Shizuru asked with a soft purr, as she pressed her body further against Natsuki's, and her hands moved forward to slip under Natsuki's top to gently massage her breasts.

Natsuki tipped her head back and let out a low needy moan, playing along with Shizuru's obvious plan...though she didn't have to 'play along' _that_ much, as Shizuru's hands kneaded and tweaked her breasts and nipples.

The man in the room let out a low mutter, but he didn't try to stop Shizuru. He obviously wasn't going to try to disobey whatever orders Reito had apparently given to his favourite call girl.

Shizuru smirked softly, her face hidden from the man's view as one of her hands slipped from beneath Natsuki's shirt, and deftly picked up the razor from Natsuki's lap.

Shizuru then leaned forward and pressed her lips against Natsuki's ear, licking it lightly and nipping and sucking on it. Natsuki moaned loudly again, then started slightly as Shizuru moved up and straddled her lap like she had done earlier in the club.

Shizuru slipped her hands behind Natsuki's back, and immediately began working at the bonds that held Natsuki's hands together with the razor. Natsuki pressed her face forward into Shizuru's breasts, and nuzzled her face there against Shizuru's soft mounds, wanting the guard to believe that Shizuru was doing nothing but giving her great pleasure.

It didn't hurt that she actually _was_, despite the fact they were also desperately working to free themselves from this mess of a situation they'd gotten into.

Natsuki then suddenly felt her hands come free and separate from her bonds. She felt Shizuru smile with satisfaction against her cheek, before the chestnut-haired woman rose up from her lap, and knelt down on the ground before her. Natsuki suddenly heard a loud _zziiiipp_ and realized Shizuru had just pulled down the zipper to her jeans pants. Her face flushed brightly and her eyes flashed up to meet those of her guard, who gave her a sleazy grin. Natsuki immediately turned her eyes away, and focused them down onto Shizuru's chestnut crown of hair. Natsuki didn't even want to _imagine_ what the guard thought was going to happen before him.

_He probably thinks he's about to enjoy quite a show between two women,_ Natsuki thought humorlessly to herself. _Never mind that one of those two women are **supposed** to be strapped and bound to a chair. Hell, he probably gets his jollies off to that thought,_ Natsuki thought to herself in disgust.

Shizuru quickly brought Natsuki's attention back down to her however, when the honey-brunette's fingers trailed down her leg. Shizuru flashed the ebony-haired woman a quick grin, and leaned forward as if to place her lips right by Natsuki's opened zipper.

Natsuki let out another low moan for good effect, as Shizuru's deft fingers swiftly moved down Natsuki's pants leg, and quickly began cutting through the bonds holding the raven-haired woman's legs together. Natsuki realized then, that her bonds must be something easy enough for a razor blade to cut through, like duct tape. Suddenly Natsuki felt the bonds holding her legs to the chair come loose, and she had to restrain herself from immediately jumping to her feet, and bum-rushing the guard.

Who knew if he had a gun on him or not, and Natsuki didn't want to take the chance of getting herself...or Shizuru...shot.

Shizuru rose slowly to her feet now that she was done freeing Natsuki, and turned her back to the sable-haired woman. She then placed her hands behind her back, so that she could flick the razor blade back onto Natsuki's lap.

Shizuru then peaked over her shoulder at Natsuki and gave her a small wink, before she sauntered slowly over to the guy guarding the door.

"Hey big boy, why don't you and I give our prisoner a little show of our own," Shizuru said in her best _fuck-me_ voice, as she lightly slid her fingers down the man's scruffy face. She nearly shivered in revulsion at having to touch the asshole, but she _needed_ to draw his _full_ attention to her, to allow Natsuki a chance to fully free herself from her cut bonds.

The man followed Shizuru's gently swaying form as she moved around him, and pressed lightly against him. He allowed her to turn him towards the door, where she pressed her back up against it, and gave him a _come-hither_ look while gently crooking her finger for him to come closer. The man moved forward like a puppet being led by a string, or a man being led with his steadily-rising dick by a sexy woman.

_Which was exactly what he was,_ Shizuru thought in satisfaction to herself as she watched Natsuki stealthily rise from the chair like a black panther, now completely free of her bonds.

"I'm gonna give you the best fuck you've had in a _long_ time, baby," the man grunted out as he unzipped his pants, reached into his open fly, and pulled out his throbbing dick.

Shizuru kept the same fake _I want you_ smile plastered on her face, as the thug stepped closer to her with a completely lecherous smirk on his face, even though all she really wanted to do was break his fucking dick off.

The thug then suddenly lunged forward and would have had his grubby hands on Shizuru's body, if he hadn't been stopped cold in his tracks by a chair smashing down onto his head. He blinked uncomprehendingly for a second or two before his eyes rolled up into his head, and he toppled over as dead weight to the cold, hard ground beneath him.

Shizuru looked up at Natsuki with a dazzling smile, as the dark-haired woman slowly lowered the now-splintered and broken chair to the ground.

Natsuki returned Shizuru's bright grin before she bent down, and began searching the downed man for any useful weapons. She hit the jackpot when she pulled out the stun gun the bastards had used on her earlier. Natsuki quickly tossed this up to Shizuru, who deftly caught the weapon.

Natsuki then pulled out a gun the man had stuffed into the back of his pants, and then quickly rose back up to her feet. She checked the gun chamber, and saw that it was fully loaded. She nodded to herself in satisfaction before she cocked the weapon, and gave Shizuru a slightly-crooked grin.

"Now let's go get that son-of-a-bitch, Reito."

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><p><strong>AN<strong> - Really hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please show some love and review, and let me know what you all thought of this chapter, thanks ^^


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note** - It's been a while I know ^.^

I'm trying my _very best_ to finish all my original stories, so I hope you guys all enjoy the ride with me =3

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><p>Natsuki slowly eased open the door that she had been held captive in, and carefully looked up and down the poorly-lit hallway.<p>

Seeing no one else around to impede their progress, Natsuki lightly tilted her head forward to Shizuru to silently say the coast was clear. Shizuru returned the slight head nod, and watched quietly as Natsuki slipped out the door and into the empty hallway. The dark-haired young woman kept the gun held out in front of her, as her emerald-green eyes darted around to make sure that no one was really in the hallway with them.

After a few seconds of continued silence, Natsuki made a 'come forward' motion with her hand, and Shizuru silently eased out of the room with the stun gun Natsuki had tossed her, held out in front of her body ready to send any fool dumb enough to come close to her, twitching painfully to the ground.

Natsuki began walking softly down the hallway, with her back pressed up close against one of the hallway walls. Shizuru followed closely behind her, making sure to check down the hall behind them every few steps, to make sure no one got the drop on them from behind.

Natsuki finally made it to the end of the hallway, and took in and released a deep breath as she prepared to step around the corner, and hopefully towards a door that would lead them out of this godforsaken place.

Natsuki stepped out from the edge of the hallway, and stepped around the corner into the next hallway...and came face to face with none other than Reito himself.

The dual expressions of shock on both their faces would have been comical to a stranger looking, but to both Natsuki and Reito this was a _very_ unpleasant surprise. But they both recovered at the same time, and Natsuki cried out for Shizuru to "move move move" as she spun on her heels, and shoved Shizuru before her to turn and run back down the hallway they had just come down.

The distinctive sound of bullets being fired into the air around them caused Natsuki to curse loudly, even as a bullet flew passed her face and slightly nicked her ear.

Reito was hot on their trail and the asshole was _not_ giving up, no matter how fast she and Shizuru ran.

Finally they both ran out of hallway, and came to a dead end. Or rather there _was_ a door, but it refused to open when Natsuki grabbed the handle and began yanking desperately at it.

The sounds of Reito shouting orders for his men to shoot and kill came to their ears from further back down the darkened hall, and in a fit of pure desperation Natsuki aimed the gun at the point behind the door handle, and unloaded every bullet in the gun's chamber into the spot. With a low groan the door eased out from the wall, and Natsuki wasted no time on yanking the door opened with the now busted handle. She quickly shoved Shizuru through the door, and they both stumbled into a deserted alleyway.

Natsuki quickly grabbed Shizuru's hand, and began a full sprint down the empty alley, desperate to get the honey-haired brunette away from this place of degradation and danger. They ran as fast as they were both able down the alley, and finally burst out onto an empty sidewalk. It was pretty dark in the early morning hours, but Natsuki saw that a taxi was driving slowly down the street, and she practically ran in front of the car to get it to stop.

The driver immediately stopped the car and Natsuki hurriedly bundled Shizuru into the backseat, even as she breathlessly gave the driver her apartment address. She had also quickly stuck the uncocked gun into the back of her pants before she got into the car, and dropped her shirt over it so that the driver wouldn't see it. The fact that there was a line of blood still silently dripping from her bullet-nicked ear didn't go unnoticed by the taxi driver. But he'd learned over the course of his taxi driving days, that when you picked up passengers this late at night that it's best to just shut up, take the money due for the ride, drop 'em off wherever they wanted to go, and then hightail it outta there after they'd left his car.

Shizuru gently took Natsuki's hands into her smaller ones, and gave Natsuki a tremulous smile as she looked regretfully at the small wound on Natsuki's ear.

"I am..._so_ sorry to have gotten you mixed up in all this, Natsuki. So...very sorry," Shizuru whispered in a trembling voice.

Natsuki gave Shizuru a soft, crooked grin before she reached up with a hand, and gently cupped the side of Shizuru's face. She then leaned forward and placed the softest, most tender kiss on Shizuru's forehead. Tears spilled unbidden from Shizuru's eyes at the gentle press of Natsuki's lips. Natsuki softly wiped at the tears with the pad of her thumb and then leaned forward once more, but this time to place her kiss gently against Shizuru's soft lips. A light gasp escaped Shizuru's mouth as her lips parted, and she leaned into the sweet kiss Natsuki offered.

The taxi driver made sure to keep his eyes focused straight forward, and only on the road in front of him. It wasn't any of his business what was happening in his backseat. This was also how he'd managed to keep driving his taxi after so many years. Never ask questions, and never show _any_ kind of interest in the goings-on of his passengers.

Finally the driver pulled up to the apartment complex that Natsuki lived in, and the dark-haired young woman quickly paid the driver with the few bills she still had in her pocket. She may have overpaid him a bit in fact as she'd just dug into her pockets, grabbed whatever she had, and quickly handed it to the driver. She didn't care though. She had managed to get Shizuru away from that scumbag Reito, and she just wanted to get the two of them safely inside her apartment.

Natsuki knew thought that Reito was _not_ going to let this go. She also knew that her apartment had been compromised, and that Reito more than likely knew where to find her whenever he wanted, considering he had sent Shizuru to her that first time. But this was something to worry about a little later.

It was almost dawn now and while Natsuki hated the very _air_ that Reito breathed, she had to make herself believe that the man wasn't quite _stupid_ enough to try anything to either her or Shizuru in bright daylight. That meant that she and Shizuru had some time during the day to plan their next move. And to also get some much needed rest.

Looking at Shizuru's weary, almost wilting body made Natsuki realize the chestnut-haired woman truly needed some rest from the trials and dangers of this night. Natsuki was a police officer in training, so she had already been in training for harrowing, life-threatening situations like she'd been in tonight. And in fact, she was actually a bit proud of herself for getting the both of them out of that deadly situation alive. But now she had to focus on somehow getting Reito put away for good, and helping Shizuru move on with her life in a positive and healthy way.

No more prostituting.

Natsuki had made a promise to herself to see that Shizuru _never_ ended up like her mother, and she intended to keep that promise.

_No matter what it took._

~o~o~o~

Shizuru could barely put one foot before the other as Natsuki led her into her darkened apartment. She was so very tired. The events of the night plus the horrors that she _knew_ that Reito was now going to inflict on her life...and the life of the one person she had left in this world to love...was playing havoc with her heart and soul. As Natsuki flipped on the lights to her apartment Shizuru quickly turned around, grabbed fistfuls of Natsuki's shirt with her hands, and stared with desperate tears in her eyes at the woman who had just risked her life to save her.

"Natsuki...my sister...Reito is going to...he's going...oh god, Natsuki...Reito's going to kill my sister now that I've run away from him!" Shizuru finally burst out, as she half-collapsed into a stunned Natsuki's arms.

Natsuki blinked a few times in a state of quiet shock, before she carefully led the crying Shizuru over to the living room couch, and gently helped her sit down. She then gently wrapped her arms around Shizuru's shaking form, tucking the chestnut-haired head onto her shoulder, and softly began making soothing sounds to try to calm Shizuru down enough for her to speak.

"Shizuru..." Natsuki began softly, then licked her dry lips and tried again. "Shizuru, what do you mean by Reito killing your sister? I didn't know you had any other family members...alive," Natsuki said quietly, as she gently stroked her hand up and down Shizuru's back.

Shizuru let out a soft sigh as she allowed herself to melt into Natsuki's gentle embrace, the tears that had flowed so freely from her finally tapering off enough for her to speak again.

"I have a...younger sister, Natsuki. She doesn't know me. She has never known _any_ of her true birth family. When she was born my mother gave her up for adoption. We...we couldn't keep her. My mother was...too sick. She couldn't care for her. It was already so hard for her trying to care for me, and in fact I was doing most of the caring for my mother. I was...so young...I didn't _want_ to lose my baby sister, but we didn't have much choice!" Shizuru exclaimed in an anguished voice, as she buried her face back against Natsuki's neck, and tried to regain control over her emotions so that she wouldn't start crying again.

Natsuki held Shizuru a bit tighter against her body, quietly offering Shizuru all the comfort and support she could. Finally after a few minutes of quietly pulling herself back together, Shizuru was able to lean back a bit, and look into Natsuki brilliant-green eyes to continue her story.

"But even though we had to give her up I never..._never_...lost contact with where she was. I began working lots of odd jobs, and began saving up whatever money I could spare after taking care of mother and myself. She was never adopted, and by the time she turned 10, I had enough saved up that I could afford to have her sent to boarding school. I contacted the orphanage, and they were happy enough to take the money, and send my sister off to somewhere others could care for her. By this time I'd run into...Reito...and he found out what I was doing with the money I was beginning to..._earn_...working for him. So in typical Reito fashion he threatened me...with the life of my baby sister. He told me that if I _ever_ tried to leave him he would hunt my sister down...and kill her. My sweet little sister whom I've only gotten the chance to see and hold _once_, and that was when she was born. She was so small...so tiny...so defenseless in a world as cruel as ours. She was so beautiful, Natsuki. We have different fathers, but still she was so beautiful. Soft golden hair, sparkling-blue eyes, and a smile so angelic and pure it made you want to cry. My beautiful baby sister..._Alyssa_. And I only got to hold her that one time, before the nurses took her away from us...from my mother and I...because we wouldn't be able to care for her," Shizuru murmured in a soft, weary voice against Natsuki's neck where she'd laid her head back down.

Natsuki swallowed down the tears that had formed in her throat, and then gently nuzzled her face against Shizuru's neck to offer what comfort she could.

"Don't worry, Shizuru. I will _not_ allow that sick, twisted bastard to get _anywhere_ near you _or_ your sister. In fact, you and I are going to take a little trip, and go get your sister _before_ Reito even has a chance to get near her," Natsuki said with a small determined nod.

Shizuru leaned back slightly to give Natsuki an incredulous stare.

"Natsuki...my sister has never even _met_ me before. She doesn't even know that I _exist_. All she knows is that a 'generous benefactor' pays the boarding school each year for her education, plus her room and board. She won't...she won't want to _see_ me...she'll...probably _hate_ me if she ever finds out that she still has family alive who _gave her up for adoption_," Shizuru exclaimed in a distressed voice, as she tried to pull herself out of the warm cocoon of Natsuki's arms, to stand and pace away from the dark-haired woman.

Natsuki gently tightened her hold on the struggling honey-brunette until with a weary sigh, Shizuru leaned back against Natsuki's chest. Natsuki gave into the instinct to lean forward and place a soft, chaste kiss against Shizuru's forehead before she began to speak again.

"No one related to you could _ever_ hate you Shizuru. I _promise_ you that. Alyssa will _love_ you. You're her big sister. Any child who grew up without her family would give _anything_ to know that she still has even one living relative. And one who loves her _so_ much she sacrificed practically _everything_ to keep her little sister safe and sound," Natsuki replied softly, as she reached up to tenderly stroke her fingers through Shizuru's soft, chestnut locks.

Shizuru could only nod her head in weary agreement. If Natsuki truly believed that Shizuru's little sister, the very same little sister that Shizuru hadn't seen since the day she was born, would _like_ much less _love_ her...then Shizuru would put her whole faith in Natsuki's belief.

A soft yawn suddenly escaped Shizuru and her eyes began to close, though they opened back up briefly when she felt herself being lifted up in strong, steady arms.

"What are you doing?" Shizuru asked in a low, drowsy voice. She felt Natsuki breath lightly against the skin of her neck, as the dark-haired woman leaned her head down to answer directly into her ear.

"You need rest, Shizuru. Lots of it. We have a busy next few days coming up, and I need to make arrangements for our trip. I have to call my police officer trainer to explain that I need a few days off for leave, as I have an _urgent_ emergency that suddenly came up that I need to take care of. Then I'll pack us some stuff that we'll need for the trip. Then we'll head out to the train station later today, after you've gotten some rest. I want to be out of town before dark, and Reito decides to come busting in here looking for us," Natsuki replied softly, as she carried the exhausted woman in her arms into her bedroom, and gently laid her down onto the bed.

Shizuru made quiet, protesting noises as Natsuki laid her down, but Natsuki gently shushed her before she reached down and gently tugged off Shizuru's shoes, and made the tired woman comfortable beneath the soft sheets. Natsuki leaned back with a soft smile down at the half-asleep woman in her bed, and began to turn away when a firm grip wrapped around her wrist and held her in place. Natsuki looked back down into garnet-red eyes that sparkled with an inner light, even in the curtain-darkened dimness of her room.

Shizuru licked her lips lightly, as she clutched almost convulsively to Natsuki's wrist. She didn't want the other woman to leave...to leave her...even though she knew that Natsuki wasn't going very far, and that she would be close by in the apartment if Shizuru really needed her.

_Still..._

Shizuru tugged gently on Natsuki's wrist, causing the ebony-haired woman to lean back down over the bed, until her face hovered mere inches above Shizuru's. Shizuru licked her dry lips again, and something in Natsuki's stomach knotted at the almost erotic sight, and she leaned in a few more centimeters until her lips were barely brushing Shizuru's. Shizuru's breath hitched and she had to resist the urge to lick her lips again, as Natsuki closed the scant distance between them and pressed her soft, full lips against her own.

Shizuru's eyes closed and a soft sigh of the deepest pleasure escaped, only to be swallowed up by Natsuki's mouth, as the dark-haired woman slowly deepened the kiss. A low moan escaped both of them as the sweet contact between their lips continued, until Natsuki slowly and regretfully pulled back from the kiss. A small whimper of need escaped Shizuru's throat, and Natsuki had to fight the urge to lean back down, and press her lips back against Shizuru's.

Natsuki took a small, steadying breath and then smiled down tenderly at Shizuru, who had once again opened her beautiful scarlet-red eyes, and was looking up at Natsuki with an expression so open...so _vulnerable_...like she'd never been kissed with such gentle devotion before...that it practically broke Natsuki's heart. So Natsuki just _had_ to dip down once more to drink from those lips that tempted her so sweetly.

Shizuru hummed in approval, as Natsuki dipped down for one more kiss. Then as Natsuki was leaning back, a soft yawn once again escaped Shizuru. The pout that came to Shizuru's lips after the unexpected yawn caused Natsuki to laugh softly, as she tenderly brushed a stray chestnut curl from Shizuru's brow.

"Get some rest, Shizuru. I'll get us all packed and ready, and then I'll come join you for a little rest myself later," Natsuki murmured softly, as she gently squeezed Shizuru's hand.

"You promise?" Shizuru asked in a soft, hopeful voice and Natsuki gently squeezed Shizuru's hand again, and nodded that she would.

Shizuru smiled up at her and nodded back, before she let go of Natsuki's hand and pulled the covers up a bit, so that she could snuggle down beneath them and get some sleep.

Natsuki smiled softly at the sight, before she turned around and made her way towards her bedroom door. Once at the door she spared a moment to glance back at the snuggled-down Shizuru, and a feeling of such pure sweetness gripped her heart it was almost painful.

"I _will_ protect you, Shizuru. You and your sister. I will _never_ let Reito get his filthy hands on you _ever_ again. This I swear to you, Shizuru...I _swear_."

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><p><strong>AN<strong> - I _really_ hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It's been a couple years now since I had a creative surge to update it, and I really hope there is still an interest in it out there. So please review and let me know if you guys are still interested in reading, and if you enjoyed this newest chapter ^.^


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note** - Hi! I knooow it's been a while, but I hope there are still a few of you out there still interested in this story. Yes? No? *walks away dejected, then hears the lone voice of someone shouting "yes", and runs back with stars in my eyes* 8D

Hope all who are still interested will enjoy this chap! You all may have to go back a chap or two to read and remember what last happened lol, but I hope that this new chapter will be enjoyable to you~ =3

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><p>Natsuki quietly pushed the door to her bedroom open, and peeked around the edge to see if the honey-brunette in her bed was still sleeping peacefully. A small, soft smile crossed Natsuki's lips when she saw that Shizuru was indeed still resting peacefully. She quietly slipped into the room, and made her way over to her bed.<p>

Natsuki looked down with the same soft smile on her face, before slowly reaching forward to gently run her fingers through Shizuru's soft bangs. The chestnut-haired young woman shifted lightly in her sleep, and murmured something softly before she drifted back into full slumber.

Natsuki let an amused grin cover her lips, before she carefully sat down on the edge of her bed, and reached down to take off her boots. She'd promised Shizuru that she'd be back to rest with her, after she'd finished packing up all the things they'd need for their trip to get Shizuru's sister. She'd finished packing, and had also called Aoi to explain the entire situation to her friend. She'd then asked Aoi to stay in touch with her while she was on the road, to help provide her with any information they may need. Aoi was a techno/information genius. There wasn't a system she couldn't crack into, or any information available in the world that she couldn't somehow track down. Having Aoi essentially act as her eyes and ears while she and Shizuru raced to beat Reito, to save Shizuru's sister would prove to be a _huge_ help, Natsuki knew.

After speaking with Aoi, Natsuki had then called and spoken with her officer trainer, and had asked for a leave of absence because of a sudden, serious family emergency. Her instructor had been a bit gruff with her, and told her that she'd better be back for training within two weeks. But gruff or not he was a good guy, and Natsuki knew she was one of his favourite recruits because she worked so hard, and he believed that she would make a fine police officer someday. So, while he'd been a bit short with her about taking a leave so close to the completion of her training course, he'd also in a short clipped tone wished her good luck and god's speed, in taking care of the emergency with her family.

Natsuki had smiled as she'd gotten off the phone with her instructor, even though she'd also felt a small twinge of guilt for lying to him about what she was really up to. But she simply could _not_ leave Shizuru alone to deal with everything that was happening to her. Natsuki herself was already deeply involved, and she intended to see everything through to the end.

Natsuki nodded to herself in satisfaction over her thoughts, and then leaned back on her bed so that she was stretched out beside Shizuru's still-slumbering form. A soft murmur escaped Shizuru's lips, and she instinctively moved her body closer so that she was pressed against the warmth of Natsuki's body.

Natsuki smiled as she opened her arms, and gently tugged Shizuru closer against her, and tucked the head of wavy chestnut locks against her chest. Then stifling a soft yawn, Natsuki slowly allowed her eyes to close; confident that the alarm she'd set up in her apartment would alert her, should anything or anyone try to breach the security of her living space. Sleep finally called Natsuki home as she gently tightened her arms around the the woman, who was coming to mean more and more to her as time passed. Shizuru let out a soft, sweet sigh of contentment in her sleep causing a smile to follow Natsuki all the way down into slumber.

~o~o~o~

The alarm was going off...

_**The alarm was going off!**_

Natsuki sat bolt upright in bed as the haze of sleep was immediately brushed away, once the fact that the intruder alarm for her apartment was going off loudly.

Shizuru sat up slower, and gently rubbed her eyes as she tried to focus her vision on the darkened room.

"Natsuki..." Shizuru's hesitant voice made Natsuki look over at the worried-looking honey-brunette, and she gave Shizuru a small reassuring smile.

"Stay here," Natsuki said softly as she quickly slipped out of the bed, and made her way quietly over to the small alarm control panel installed on the wall beside her bedroom door. She quickly disengaged the alarm, then moved over to the chair she kept her holstered gun resting on. She quickly slipped out her magnum, and made her way back over to the bedroom door. She had honestly _not_ expected Reito to make a move against her and Shizuru so soon, and as she glanced over at her bedside alarm clock she saw that it was only 1pm in the afternoon.

_She had underestimated Reito's desire to get his disgusting paws back on Shizuru._

Natsuki cursed lightly under her breath, before she carefully and quietly eased her bedroom door open. She didn't think anyone would be _truly_ stupid enough to still be hanging around after the alarm went off, but she had underestimated Reito and his goons once already.

_She wasn't going to do it again._

With a loud cry Natsuki kicked open her bedroom door, and was only slightly surprised to hear a soft _oomph_, as the door slammed into the face of the person who _had_ been hiding behind it. She quickly tucked and rolled out into the hallway, just in case the intruder had an accomplice ready to shoot at her. She quickly rose to her feet with her gun cocked, and aimed straight at the head of the asshole who had broken into her home. As it turned out it was the head of one of the sick freaks who had held her tied up at Reito's club, who she had given a nice little electrical shock to with a stun gun.

A nasty smile crossed Natsuki's lips as the goon glanced quickly over at her, while blood dribbled down from his broken nose, and a look of fear flashed through his eyes.

"Goodnight, motherfucker," Natsuki all but purred, as she slammed the butt of her gun into the base of the goon's skull. His eyes rolled up into his head, and he crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Natsuki quickly darted her eyes up and down the hallway, and once she was satisfied that there wasn't anyone else there, she commenced searching the rest of her apartment for any more intruders. She soon returned with duct tape which she used to tightly strap up the goon, while thinking of the irony of the situation that _she_ was the one duct taping the asshole, as he'd been the one to do the same to her in Reito's club.

Once she'd gotten him all nice and taped up, Natsuki stood up and pondered to herself what she should do with him now. If she called the police she'd have to stick around to give statements. She could easily make it seem like a simple robbery. But doing all of that would take time, and she simply could _not_ give Reito anymore time to get ahead of her and Shizuru, in getting to Shizuru's sister. But at the same time she couldn't just leave the asshole in her apartment. She had to get rid of this problem somehow.

Natsuki stood thinking in the hallway for a couple minutes more, when she suddenly felt a light touch on her shoulder. She swiftly turned around, her hand reaching instinctively for her gun which she had placed back into the waistband of her pants, when she realized it was just Shizuru who had lightly touched her shoulder. The ruby-eyed young woman was staring down at the taped-up goon at Natsuki's feet with wide eyes, which she now raised to look into Natsuki's green eyes.

"They came..." Shizuru's voice caught in her throat and then slowly trailed off, as she fully realized what this break-in meant.

"Reito isn't wasting any time Natsuki! We have to get to Alyssa now! This guy he sent was just a distraction. If he had managed to stop us or not, it truly wouldn't have mattered much to Reito. He just wanted to stall us so that he could get a head-start to reaching Alyssa," Shizuru said with ruby-red eyes glistening with tears.

Natsuki nodded her head in agreement as she racked her brain for a solution. Then the answer came to her like a bolt of lightning.

"Midori! She'll be able to help! I'll call and ask her to come over to clean up this...'mess'...for me while you and I get the next train out of town. Midori is a friend of mine I've known for years, and she's _very_ good at coming in and fixing up less than ideal...situations...for people," Natsuki told Shizuru with a grin, before she raced back into her bedroom to grab her cellphone to call Midori.

While Natsuki was busy on the phone explaining the situation to her friend, Shizuru looked down at the henchman lying bloodied and unconscious at her feet. A sudden surge of fury overcame her as she thought of all the abuse she'd suffered at the hands of asshole's like this one, and her leg shot out in a swift hard kick to his head. The henchman let out a low, muffled groan of pain as his mouth was tightly sealed with a thick strip of duct tape.

Shizuru hoped she'd just given him brain damage. Maybe that would stop him from ever hurting anyone else ever again.

"Okay, everything is settled. Midori is on her way to get rid of this guy for us, and I told her where I'd leave a copy of my front door key, so that she can get in. Now, let's you and I get out of here Shizuru, in case anyone else is crazy enough to try to come in here again," Natsuki said as she came back to stand by Shizuru's side.

Shizuru nodded her head in agreement, as her eyes steeled in gritty determination. She was _not_ going to allow Reito to lay even a single slimy finger on her little sister.

_She would kill him first if she had to._

~o~o~o~

"Hey Shizuru, you feeling okay?" Natsuki asked the chestnut-haired woman who was quietly resting against her chest, as they both sat pressed close together in a private booth, on the train Natsuki had bought tickets for. They were speeding their way out to the countryside, and the private boarding school Shizuru's sister was attending. It was already late in the evening, just past dusk, and Shizuru was quietly watching the sun set through the train window, as it threw up a stunning array of shimmering orange-gold colours, before dipping below the earth's visible surface.

Shizuru slowly turned her head until her face was pressed against Natsuki's neck, and she released a light puff of air that made a shiver run down Natsuki's back.

"Yes...I'm alright Natsuki...for the most part. I'm just...worried that we won't get there in time to stop Reito. And I'm worried about what Alyssa will think of me if we can get to her first, and she and I meet face to face," Shizuru answered softly, as she pressed herself further into Natsuki's embrace.

Natsuki only resisted the urge for a brief second, before she caved into her desire to plant a gentle, soothing kiss against Shizuru's brow. Shizuru's eyes closed slowly in pleasure, as she relished the gentle touch...something she wasn't used to experiencing throughout all the years of hard..._use_...she'd endured.

"Don't worry, Shizuru. **When** we get to your sister in time, she'll love you. I'm telling you. She _will_ love you," Natsuki murmured against Shizuru's forehead, where she still had her lips gently pressed.

Shizuru allowed Natsuki's words to seep into her chest and fill her heart, as she closed her eyes and let the power of Natsuki's belief give her firm hope. After all hadn't Natsuki just risked everything for her? Her life, her career...even her heart it seemed, as Natsuki continued to hold her close against her chest. How could Shizuru give Natsuki back any less than everything she had left to give? Which while it wasn't much...at least it was _Shizuru's_ to give freely.

"Yes, you're right Natsuki. We _will_ save Alyssa in time, and she and I...we will...we'll be alright together. We'll stop Reito...we will..." Shizuru murmured, as her voice softly trailed off into sleep.

Natsuki let a small grin tug up the corners of her lips, as she looked down with deeply-growing affection at the now-sleeping woman in her arms.

"Yes Shizuru we'll all be alright, and we **will** stop Reito...permanently if need be. I'll protect you and Alyssa...I promise...I'll protect you...Shizuru."

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><p>Please review. It really would be nice to know if people are still interested in seeing where this story goes =3<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

_Shizuru was dreaming._

In her dreams she was strong enough to take on Reito; she was strong enough to fight him off whenever he came near her; she was strong enough to rip him a new one if he even _looked_ at her funny. In her real life she had never been strong enough. Reito had always made sure to keep her closely guarded, so that she could never go out and learn how to defend herself. She had been kept locked away, and used only for his sick enjoyment. Her life had been beyond hard and painful, and she had begun to despair of ever being able to free herself from it.

_But now her dream was changing. _

Natsuki suddenly appeared and now Shizuru was fighting back; forcing Reito to back off and to kneel at her feet, so she could kick him in the head like she'd always wanted to. It was a very pleasant dream, and within the dream Shizuru knew...she just _knew_...that she could make this dream a reality. Natsuki was by her side now, giving her the strength she had always lacked, and showing her the way to stand firm on her own two feet, and fight for all she believed in.

Shizuru's eyes slowly opened, and a sensation of peace and calm flowed through her as her dream slowly dissipated.

She and Natsuki were still on the train, though it was full night outside, and they were both covered by a thick blanket that was wrapped snugly around them. Natsuki was fast asleep, and as Shizuru rose up from Natsuki's chest, she was greeted with the adorable sight of Natsuki slightly snoring, as her head lolled a bit to the side.

An affectionate smile crossed Shizuru's lips, and she leaned back down to gently nuzzle her face against Natsuki's neck. Natsuki let out a soft, pleased sigh in her sleep which caused Shizuru to stifle a soft giggle. Then with a gentle smile on her lips, Shizuru snuggled back down against Natsuki's chest, and felt the dark-haired young woman gently tighten her arms around her waist.

Shizuru soaked up the moment, and the brief period of peace this train ride was affording them. Because she _knew_ the minute they stepped off the train, they would be hurtling back into the harsh reality of a world where she was on the run from a psychotic man, who wanted to harm both her and her sister. So, Shizuru decided to soak up the warmth and comfort that being here in Natsuki's arms afforded her.

_Because she knew this period of peace would soon be coming to an end.  
><em>

~o~o~o~

A gentle shaking on her shoulder drew Shizuru out of a deep sleep, and she blinked her tired eyes open as she slowly sat up. She was no longer laying against Natsuki's chest, and she experienced a brief moment of panic as to where Natsuki had gone, which was calmed when she looked up and saw Natsuki smiling down at her.

"We're here, Shizuru. It's still pretty dark out since your sister's school is only about 3 hours out of town, but I got us some transportation and somewhere to stay for the rest of the night," Natsuki said quietly, as she helped Shizuru rise from the train seat.

Shizuru nodded as she stretched a bit; she then followed the dark-haired young woman out of the train, and onto the quiet train platform. No other passengers but them exited the train and soon after they'd gotten off, the train moved off and continued onto its further destinations.

A slight, chill breeze blew through the platform, and Shizuru wrapped her arms around her body to try to contain her body heat. Something slightly heavy dropped down onto her shoulders, and Shizuru blinked up to see Natsuki lightly straightening a black, leather jacket onto her shoulders. Natsuki caught Shizuru's look and gave her a small, shy grin.

"Wouldn't want you to catch cold out here, would we?" Natsuki said with a light grin, before she reached down and grabbed the two duffel bags she'd packed back at her apartment, with necessities for both her and Shizuru.

Shizuru stared after Natsuki for a second or two, before she closed her eyes and snuggled down into the warm comfort of Natsuki's jacket. She was still so unused to someone actually doing things _for_ her and not _to_ her, but Natsuki was quickly becoming the exception to that particular rule. Shizuru found herself silently wishing, as she followed closely along behind the ebony-haired woman, that Natsuki would continue to be in her life to fully _break_ that rule.

"Ahh, there she is! Aoi, you are a goddess!" Natsuki suddenly exclaimed as she moved quickly down the platform stairs, and moved over to a darkened corner of the train station. Shizuru followed after, now full of curiosity as to what had excited Natsuki so much. A small gasp escaped her lips when she saw a sleek, gorgeous-looking black and silver motorcycle waiting for them.

"Isn't she a beauty!" Natsuki exclaimed, with one of the brightest grins Shizuru had seen on her face yet. A soft smile worked its way across Shizuru's face, as she watched Natsuki drop the duffel bags on the ground near the bike, and move forward to run her fingers across its sleek body.

"I called Aoi before we left town, and asked her if she could arrange some mode of transportation, and a place for us to stay for the night. I don't know how that girl does it, but she _always_ manages to come through for me, even when it's for something like this. She buzzed me while you were still sleeping, and told me our ride and a place to stay were set up and waiting for us. There's a small inn not too far away from here, set up for travelers like us to stay before they head on out further into the countryside. So, if you're okay with riding on the back of this baby with me, we can head out to the inn now," Natsuki said with a grin, as she approached Shizuru with a black helmet held in her hands.

Shizuru nodded her head 'yes', that she was ready and willing to ride along behind Natsuki.

Natsuki grinned before reaching forward to gently place the helmet over Shizuru's head. Once the helmet was on and secured, Natsuki took one of Shizuru's hands into her own, and led the chestnut-haired young woman back to the bike.

"You'll have to wear one of the duffel bags on your back, while I carry the other around my front," Natsuki said as she reached down, grabbed one of the bags, and then straightened back up to carefully slip the strap of the bag over Shizuru's helmeted head. She then grabbed the other bag, slipped it over her own head, and sat down on the seat of the bike. She then lightly patted the back of the bike's seat, and smiled reassuringly at Shizuru.

Shizuru gave Natsuki a slightly-nervous smile, that she quickly realized Natsuki wouldn't see behind the helmet. So, instead she quickly moved forward to sit behind the dark-haired young woman. Shizuru slipped her arms around Natsuki's waist, and pressed her body and face against Natsuki's back. She felt the warm body in her arms vibrate with a soft, amused chuckle before Natsuki grabbed the second helmet on the bike, and slipped it on over her head.

"Alright, let's go!" Natsuki's slightly muffled voice shouted from behind her helmet's mask, before she started up the bike, revved the engine once, then sped out from the train station and out onto the dusty country road.

~o~o~o~

"Hey, this place isn't too bad," Natsuki said in mild satisfaction, at the clean and tidy state of their small room.

"I'm just going to go shower and change, okay Natsuki. It's been a long day and night, and I can barely keep my eyes open," Shizuru said with a tired smile towards the raven-haired young woman.

Natsuki gave Shizuru an understanding smile back, and watched as they tawny-haired woman went into the small bathroom attached to the room. Half an hour later, Shizuru emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a long nightshirt that Natsuki had packed for her to wear. Natsuki herself was already laying in the small single bed, dressed in a gray tank top and sleep shorts.

Shizuru immediately crawled into the bed beside the half-asleep Natsuki. She then slipped her slender arms around Natsuki's waist, and laid her head down on the dark-haired woman's chest. Natsuki let out a sleepy hum as she slipped her arms around Shizuru's waist, and held her close against her body. Shizuru breathed out a soft sigh of pleasure, and buried her face against the soft skin of Natsuki's neck, as Natsuki reached over to the bedside lamp to turn it off.

"Goodnight, Shizuru. We have a pretty busy and potentially dangerous day ahead of us tomorrow. Try to get as much sleep as you possibly can, so we'll both be alert and ready to go in the morning," Natsuki whispered softly as she pressed her lips to Shizuru's forehead in a soft, gentle kiss.

Shizuru sighed again, as she nodded her head against Natsuki's neck.

"I will, Natsuki. I will."

~o~o~o~

"They're here, boss. That bitch Shizuru, and that other bitch who took her away from you. They're staying at some place near the train station," a man said in an ingratiating tone of voice, as he approached a dark-haired, golden-eyed young man sitting at a table in the middle of a small inn's bar.

"We saw them get off the train, and then take off on a bike. We followed them in the car until they got to this small inn further up the road from this one," the man continued as he licked his dry, chapped lips nervously and waited for his fairly-volatile boss to speak.

"So, they've finally arrived...good. Now all we need to do is follow them until they get to the little bitch's school, and take her out to 'protect' her. Then once all three of them are together, I can crush and kill them all at once! Though...I may yet decide to keep Shizuru. She _greatly_ disappointed me with her defection. She knows full well that she is **my** property, and I don't take well to my toys being taken away from me. I'd rather break all my hard-earned toys, than take them back once they've been..._soiled_...by someone else. This 'Natsuki' has taken and touched my Shizuru. But maybe there is hope yet for Shizuru. Maybe when I corner her and make her watch as I kill her new little 'friend' along with her dear little sister, I will take her back under my protective wing and re-teach her how to be my favourite toy. Yes...yes...I _like_ this idea. I like it _very_ much. I shall kill this Natsuki Kuga and Shizuru's sister, and then I'll take Shizuru back and re-train her. You will _never_ escape me again, Shizuru. You will remain my property for the rest of your miserable life!" Reito exclaimed with a maniacal gleam in his eye, as he slammed his fist down onto the tabletop.

The owner of the small inn lay behind the bar counter; a small bullet hole in his head between his eyes. Reito didn't believe in having to pay _anyone_ for services he felt should be given to him by right; like free room and board, and free drinks all night long. There had been no one else in the small inn when Reito and his men arrived. No one else besides the very unlucky innkeeper.

Reito leaned back in his chair, and breathed out a deep sigh of satisfaction.

"Soon, my dear Shizuru. Very soon, you _will_ be in my possession again...and I will never allow you to escape me _ever_ again."

~o~o~o~

_Shizuru was once again dreaming.  
><em>

She shifted uneasily in her sleep, as a nightmare began taking shape to replace her pleasant dreams. She had started off so strong in her dreams...so powerful. She had been able to beat Reito...to take him out for good. But then the tide had turned...Reito had suddenly reappeared stronger than ever...and he'd taken her and tied her up in chains, and was now leading her away to a life of eternal suffering and imprisonment.

_She couldn't break free...she would be Reito's possession for the rest of her life..._

Natsuki's arms subconsciously tightened around Shizuru's lightly-trembling, slumbering body and like a cooling balm to a troubled soul, Shizuru's body began to calm and her nightmares retreated, to once again be replaced by pleasant dreams. Even in deep sleep Natsuki was Shizuru's protector; keeping her safe and unharmed even from her worst nightmares.

Shizuru let out a soft, restful sigh and allowed her body to sink down further into Natsuki's warm, soothing embrace.

_There was no place in the waking world or the world of dreams that Shizuru would rather be, than right there in Natsuki's arms._

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><p><strong>AN<strong> - *writes up _Thank You_ notes and sends them all off, sealed with a light kiss to all you awesome readers* ^.^

Thank you all so much for the lovely welcome back! I truly appreciate everyone who took the time to read my last chapter, and especially those who took a little time to leave a review. You all made me a happy author, and I hope this new chapter entertained, and you all enjoyed it~ =3

Please review! ^.^


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey loser, sitting all by yourself again!" an obnoxiously loud, female voice shouted at a young blond-haired, blue-eyed girl sitting by herself at a table in her school's cafeteria.

"Lemme guess, no one wants to be seen with the family-less freak!" the voice shouted again, and the young blond did her best to ignore the hurtful verbal jabs, as her hand tightened into a small fist.

Unfortunately when a paper plate full of spaghetti was thrown at her, and the sauce began dripping down her face and onto her clothes, Alyssa Searrs couldn't bear the ridicule and cruel acts of her schoolmates anymore. She quickly rose to her feet, desperately swallowing the sob that wanted to break free from her throat; because she was _not_ going to give her tormentors the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She then quickly turned on her heel, and ran as quickly as she could from the school's cafeteria; the sound of laughter following her all the way out.

~o~o~o~

Alyssa sat on her bed alone in her room, staring out her dorm room's only window, down into the school's courtyard. She had been lucky to get a room to herself this school year, as she almost always had to share a room with someone else before. Having a room to herself allowed her the privacy to cry as she cleaned herself up, from the latest bullying attack from the 'rich girls' of the school. She just didn't understand why the girls in this all-girls academy focused so much on making her life miserable.

It wasn't her fault that she didn't know who her parents were. It wasn't her fault that she wasn't 'rich' like those snotty girls were; and that she was only allowed to remain in the school, because of a mysterious benefactor who paid her tuition every year. She wished that she _did_ know all the answers to these things, because then maybe her life...wouldn't be so hard and lonely...

Alyssa sighed to herself as she dried out her hair with a towel, after taking a quick shower to wash the dried spaghetti from her skin and hair.

Letting out another deep sad sigh, Alyssa made her way over to the loveseat set up beneath her small window. She laid her head down on the windowsill, and gazed out at the sun setting over the horizon with her mind filled with one thought...and one thought only...

_Why was she all alone in this world..._

~o~o~o~

"Alright Shizuru, are you ready to go?" Natsuki asked as she turned slightly on her motorcycle, and looked over her shoulder at the tawny-haired young woman stepping through the front entrance of the inn.

"Yes Natsuki, I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Shizuru replied, as she tugged the strap of the duffel bag she was carrying over her head, and settled onto the back of the motorcycle behind Natsuki.

Natsuki flashed a slightly-crooked grin at her chestnut-haired passenger, before she helped Shizuru pull her helmet down over her head.

"Don't worry so much, Shizuru. Alyssa will be happy to meet you. Promise. Now, let's go get your sister before that bastard Reito does," Natsuki said with a determined grin, before pulling her own helmet down over her head. She then revved the bike's engine, and sped the bike off in the direction of Alyssa's boarding school.

_It was time to step things up into high gear._

~o~o~o~

"Boss, boss! They've left the inn! Should I begin following them now?" one of Reito's lackeys exclaimed excitedly from behind the steering wheel of a black car, which was hidden behind a stand of trees off the main road, near their quarry's inn.

Reito nodded his head once, before settling himself down comfortably in the back seat of the car. A sick, twisted smile crossed his lips, as his eyes zeroed in on the long mane of beautiful, honey-chestnut hair flowing from the helmet of the bike's backseat rider.

"Shizuru..." Reito muttered softly, as his loins tightened and his inner, carnal desires ignited when he thought of making Shizuru _his_ again.

"The game has truly begun now Shizuru, my pet. I'm coming for you...and you _will_ be mine again," Reito murmured to himself, as his hard-on got even harder when he envisioned all the things he could do with 'his' Shizuru once again.

_You will be mine again soon..._

~o~o~o~

It was a brand-new day, and Alyssa was _determined_ to make it through with absolutely _no_ bullying incidents.

_The people in this school can be such bitches,_ Alyssa thought to herself as she packed her schoolbag for the day, and then slung it over her shoulder. However just as she was about to leave her room, an announcement over the PA system stopped her in her tracks.

"Would Alyssa Searrs please report to the Principal's office immediately. I repeat, Alyssa Sears report to the Principal's office _immediately_."

Alyssa wondered for a few moments before she left her room, just what was so important that she had to get to the Principal's office _immediately_.

_One of those snot-nosed, rich bitches better **not** have told the Principal some new lie, to try to get me in trouble again,_ Alyssa thought angrily to herself as she began making her way to the Principal's office. She hurried down the empty hallways, as the rest of her schoolmates were already in class, and she arrived at Principal's office in just a few minutes. She quickly opened the door to the office and stepped into the room. The Vice-Principal was sitting behind a desk in the front office, and when she saw Alyssa she waved her hand towards the door leading to the Principal's room.

"They're waiting for you inside, dear. Don't keep them waiting," the Vice-Principal said in a kind voice, and Alyssa quickly made her way over to the door, while wondering to herself, _who's **they**?_

Alyssa quickly found out who _they_ were when she pushed open the Principal's room door, and saw two attractive young women standing before the Principal's desk. One was tall and dark, wearing dark leather pants, a black jacket, and a white top beneath the jacket. She had piercing brilliant-green eyes and long, raven-dark hair that flowed down her back.

The other was fair and light with honey-coloured locks that tumbled down her back, and eyes of a colour Alyssa believe she'd only ever dreamed of before. There was something about this woman that drew Alyssa's full attention, and when the chestnut-haired woman saw that most of Alyssa's attention was focused on her, a small shy smile tugged up the corners of her lips.

Alyssa found herself unconsciously returning the smile, before she turned curious blue eyes towards her Principal. The woman slowly rose to her feet, walked over to Alyssa, and gently rested her hands on her shoulders.

"Alyssa dear, I know that you've had a bit of a rough time here at our school, and that you've always wanted to know who it was that paid for your tuition year after year. Well dear, I'm pleased to let you know that your generous benefactor has _finally_ decided to come forward. Alyssa...I'd like you to meet Shizuru Fujino...your benefactor...and biological sister."

Alyssa's world stopped.

It utterly and completely _stopped_.

No one said a word for the next few heart-stopping seconds, while Alyssa's eyes widened to the size of small saucers, and she began finding it a bit hard to breath.

For Shizuru's part, she could only stand frozen as she waited to see what her sister's reaction to the news would be. Tears fought to flow freely down her face, as she took in the sight of the beautiful young woman her sister had grown up to be.

_She's so beautiful...just like Mama,_ Shizuru thought tearfully to herself.

Alyssa swallowed a lump down her suddenly dry throat, as she tried desperately to process this earth-shaking news the Principal had just dropped on her.

_A sister...**my** sister...I actually have **living** relatives...what...how...why didn't she come for me before now!_

A torrent of emotions and feelings began coursing through Alyssa; the primary ones at first being hurt and anger.

The chestnut-haired woman must have seen what Alyssa was feeling on her face, because her scarlet-red eyes suddenly dipped down, and a look of guilt and sadness overtook her features. The dark-haired young woman put a hand on her shoulder in a silent show of support and comfort, and Alyssa realized with a start that she wanted **_that_**. Someone in this world who could offer her instant comfort without even asking. She had just been crying in her room the night before after all; asking why was it that she was so alone in this world. And here now, almost like an answer to her heart's deepest desire, was someone who was related to her by _blood_. Someone who was actually _family_ to her.

_Someone who could give her the comfort and love she'd always craved for in her life.  
><em>

A soft sniffle slipped passed her lips, and the chestnut-haired woman's crimson eyes flashed back up, to lock onto Alyssa's tear-blurred blue eyes. A soft, tremulous smile spread across the woman's lips, and she took a small hesitant step forward; her arms raised slightly in what Alyssa realized was a welcome invitation to a hug.

_A hug...from someone who looked like they actually cared about her...  
><em>

A sob broke free from Alyssa's throat, as she pushed herself forward and into the slightly-trembling, waiting arms of the woman before her.

Alyssa and Shizuru began sobbing together as their arms clung desperately to one another. Neither noticed when Natsuki and the Principal moved silently out of the room, and quietly closed the door behind them. The two fair-haired young women could only focus on each other, as years of pent-up feelings and emotions on both their parts, flowed out of them in heartfelt sobs. They both sank down to their knees, still clutching tightly to one another; never wanting to let go now that they'd finally found each other.

For Shizuru, she'd finally reunited with the missing piece of herself, that she'd been forced to let go of when she was a little girl.

For Alyssa, she'd finally found the family she'd always craved for and wanted desperately with all of her heart.

And somewhere outside, soaring high in the clear blue sky above, was a bright yellow canary; singing loudly and happily at the top of its lungs, for it was another bright beautiful day.

* * *

><p><em>~To be continued~<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN<strong> - Hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter, as much as I enjoyed writing it! =D

Please review~ Your reviews help fuel my muse, who is a very voracious eater~ :3

~xoxoxo~


	11. Chapter 11

**AN** - This chapter got a little away from me, as the characters just wanted to keep the story going...not that I think any of you really minds that ;3

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><p>The two sisters clutched tightly to one another for several more minutes after Natsuki and the Principal left the room. Shizuru eventually moved back a bit, to tenderly brush a few stray locks of blond hair from her sister's face.<p>

"Hey," she said with a soft smile, before leaning forward and pressing a light kiss to Alyssa's forehead. A small, chocked sob escaped Alyssa's throat as her eyes closed, and she leaned into her sister's touch.

"I thought I was all alone. I thought there was no one left in my family alive, or that if I _did_ have family still alive...that they just didn't want anything to do with me," Alyssa whimpered softly, as her eyes reopened and she looked beseechingly into Shizuru's eyes. "Why did you give me up...why didn't you...ever come for me before now?" Alyssa asked in a soft, choked voice.

Shizuru's eyes closed in pained guilt, before they reopened and she looked directly into Alyssa's watery-blue eyes.

"I never wanted to give you up, Alyssa...**never**. My..._our_...mother and I wanted to keep you. So badly..." Shizuru murmured with a soft, sad smile as she continued to hold her sister's gaze. "But we couldn't keep you...we...we could barely keep ourselves alive. Times were so hard...and we wanted to give you so much..._so_ much that we just didn't have the means to give you. So...to try to give you a better life...we gave you up...and it almost destroyed us both. Our mother...passed away soon after. And I could barely support myself, so I would never have been able to care for you the way I would have wanted to. And as the years went by...I fell into a line of work that I...couldn't...it wasn't..." here Shizuru stopped speaking, and bit her lower lip as she struggled with getting out the truth about her life's 'work'.

Alyssa sat and quietly listened to every word her sister said, and she felt a small pang in her heart when Shizuru mentioned that their mother had already passed. Alyssa would have liked to have met her mother...even if she had given her up at birth. Though she now knew it wasn't because her mother _hadn't_ loved her, but because her mother had loved her so much, she wanted her youngest daughter to have a good life; the kind of life she didn't believe she could have provided.

"What about our father?" Alyssa asked softly.

"We're actually half-sisters Alyssa, though that means practically nothing to me, as I think of you and have _always_ thought of you as my 'full-bloodied' sister. As to our individual fathers...both are assholes who left long ago, and have never been heard from again. My father left our mother a couple years after I was born, so I really don't remember much about him. And your father left as soon as he found out Mom was pregnant with you. We don't need either of them in our lives. Any man who would leave the woman they're with like that, are lower than the lowest scum of the earth. We have each other now, Alyssa. We're together, and I _promise_ I'll always be here for you whenever you need me. I'm sorry I didn't come for you before now. For a very long time...I was scared...I didn't want you to hate me for having left you here for so long. And also as I mentioned before, my particular line of work...didn't really allow me to be a good, supportive influence for you." Shizuru said all of this, as she slowly helped Alyssa rise to her feet.

"Then what changed to make you decide to come for me now?" Alyssa asked with a curious tilt of her head.

"Well..." Shizuru trailed off softly, as she wasn't sure how to broach the subject of a mad man bent on hurting both herself and Alyssa, chasing after them. Luckily for her the door to the Principal's office opened at that moment, and Natsuki and the Principal walked back in.

"Sorry to interrupt your reunion ladies, but Ms. Kuga here has informed me that the train that will take you all back to the city will be departing soon, and so you all should be on your way," the Principal said with a soft smile towards Alyssa.

The blond-haired girl stared back at the Principal in shock. "I'm going to get to go with them...with my sister?" Alyssa asked in a softly-stunned voice.

The Principal let out a soft chuckle before she moved over to the blue-eyed girl, and gently placed her hands on Alyssa's shoulders.

"Your situation is very unique, Alyssa. Who am I to stand in the way of you getting to know your big sister better. I've spoken with Shizuru and have agreed to her request to take you out of school for a week. You're one of our top students, so I know you'll be able to easily make up whatever assignments and tests you'll miss during that time," the Principal said with a soft smile at the young girl, who had always been one of her favourite students.

Alyssa's eyes widened, before she impulsively reached forward and gave the Principal a quick hug.

"Oh thank you, thank you! I don't know what to say! I just...thank you!" Alyssa exclaimed with crystal-blue eyes shining with joy and excitement.

Natsuki smiled at Alyssa's joyful display as she came up behind Shizuru, and gently placed her hands on her shoulders. Shizuru glanced over her shoulder with a soft, pleased smile towards Natsuki as the Principal let out a small, surprised laugh at Alyssa's exuberant response to her news.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that," Alyssa exclaimed with a light, embarrassed blush before quickly stepping back from the Principal.

"It's perfectly alright, my dear. I completely understand your excitement and joy. Now you better hurry back to your room, and start packing up some belongings to take with you. Ms. Fujino and Ms. Kuga will be back for you in about an hour, which should give you enough time to get ready," the Principal said, as she began leading Alyssa towards her office door.

"It'll also give us a chance to get a vehicle a little...bigger...than a motorcycle to take Alyssa and her stuff back with us," Natsuki whispered with a teasing grin into Shizuru's ear, as they followed along behind Alyssa and the Principal.

Shizuru lifted her hand to her lips to cover a soft giggle, as she nodded her head in agreement.

**~o~o~o~**

"Have I mentioned already how much I love Aoi?" Natsuki asked in a softly-awed voice, as she walked around and admired the canary-yellow Chevy Camero they'd parked before Alyssa's school. "She told me she'd have a 'sexy ride' waiting for us back at the inn, if we succeeded in getting your sister out of the school for a few days. But I wasn't expecting her to get us hooked up with this sweet baby," Natsuki purred, as she trailed her fingers across the cool, gleaming surface of the car.

Shizuru just smiled indulgently at how taken Natsuki was with their new ride, as they waited in the parking lot before the school for Alyssa to come out and meet them.

"Shizuru! Shizuru, I'm here! I'm ready!" Alyssa called out excitedly, as she exited the school and raced down the front steps towards her two escorts. "And um...hello again to you, Ms. Kuga," Alyssa said with a shy and polite bow towards Natsuki, once she was finally standing before her sister and her companion.

A quick grin spread across Natsuki's face, and she reached forward to lightly and affectionately ruffle Alyssa's blond locks.

"None of that 'Ms. Kuga' stuff. I'm just plain 'ol Natsuki. Got it, kiddo?" Natsuki said with a playful grin, which Alyssa nodded in shy agreement to.

Shizuru thought her sister and Natsuki's interaction together was absolutely adorable.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road you two!" Natsuki exclaimed as she clapped and rubbed her hands together eagerly, while moving towards the driver's side of the car. Shizuru gave a cheerful nod and grin in agreement, and slipped into the passenger seat while Alyssa slipped into the backseat with her belongings. Once everyone was settled securely into the car, Natsuki powered up the engine and drove the car out onto the empty country road, that would eventually take them to the train station.

While they were driving Alyssa kept sneaking curious glances at Natsuki, and the ebony-haired young woman could see that there was a question Alyssa was positively bursting to ask.

"So, was there anything you wanted to ask me, Alyssa?" Natsuki asked with an amused grin, as she flicked her jade-green eyes up to the rear-view mirror to glance at Alyssa.

Alyssa didn't waste any time in asking once Natsuki gave her permission to.

"Are you my sister's lover!"

Natsuki almost swerved the car off the road in shock.

"Uhhmmm..." was the only thing Natsuki could say in reply, as she desperately tried to recover from the unexpectedly personal question.

Shizuru couldn't help but let out a loud amused laugh; a sound Natsuki had yet to hear before from the honey-brunette. She decided she quite liked it, and would do everything within her power to hear such a free, delighted sound from Shizuru again in the future.

"Oh my Alyssa, you really are such a precious gift to my life," Shizuru said as she let out one more soft chuckle, before looking back at her sister with twinkling, crimson eyes. "Where did you ever learn to look for signs, to be able to ask questions like that?" Shizuru asked with a soft, curious smile.

Alyssa gave a little shrug, as a shy blush spread across her face.

"I kind of...umm...well...there was this girl I knew...her name was Miyu. She was a foreign exchange student, and was only at our school for a year. She and I became...close friends...and umm...well, it _is_ an all-girl's school so...ya know...things happened!" Alyssa exclaimed as she tried to find something interesting to do with her hands, which were twisting nervously in her lap.

A sudden warm touch on her twisting hands made Alyssa look up into her sister's gently smiling face, and Alyssa was struck with a sudden warm feeling of _belonging_. She had _finally_ found someone she could easily share these kind of things with without fear of repercussion or prejudice, and that person had turned out to be family.

A light sheen of tears began to fill Alyssa's eyes, and she slightly startled Shizuru by leaning forward, and wrapping her arms tightly around her big sister's neck.

Shizuru blinked in surprise for a second or two before a soft smile came to her lips, and she shifted around in her car seat to return Alyssa's tight hug.

Natsuki grinned at the two sisters; incredibly happy that they both seemed to be bonding so well. And now that she'd had a few minutes to get her jumbled thoughts back in order, she opened her mouth to properly answer Alyssa's question about whether she and Shizuru were lovers. Truthfully, Natsuki herself wasn't quite sure just _what_ she and Shizuru were to each other. But she _did_ know that she cared about the scarlet-eyed woman...a damn awful lot. So, she decided she'd tell Alyssa that; that she cared for her big sister quite a bit, even they weren't quite...'lovers'._  
><em>

_Yet._

Natsuki chuckled softly to herself, as she decided to keep the 'yet' part to herself for now.

She opened her mouth to speak...and instead cried out when something _slammed_ into the side of the car.

Alyssa cried out as she pulled back from Shizuru's arms, and then quickly looked out the backseat window. "There's a big, black van driving really close to us! Oh my god, it's coming right at us!" Alyssa screamed, as the black van in question swerved on the road and slammed into their car again.

Both Shizuru and Alyssa clutched tightly to any surface of the car they could, while Natsuki desperately tried to keep them from being run off the road. Unfortunately the black van ran into them again; ramming into the trunk of their car which caused the back wheels to spin out wildly, sending the car into a tailspin off the dusty road, and into a thick stand of bushes that dotted the side of the road.

The airbags deployed, and not long after Shizuru slowly sat up with her head spinning and ears ringing. The coppery taste of blood slipped into her mouth, and it was then that Shizuru realized she had a head wound, as she could feel a line of blood dribbling down the side of her face.

"Why hello, my dear Shizuru. Did you miss me?" a menacing voice Shizuru had hoped she'd _never_ have to hear again, spoke from the other side of her passenger window. She ignored the voice and the man behind the voice for a few precious seconds to quickly glance behind her, and saw with horror that Alyssa had been knocked out cold. A surge of rage hit her, and she moved to fling her car door open to _slam_ it into Reito and his damn groin.

However, just as she was about to force the door open, a light touch on her knee made her flick her eyes over to the driver's seat and Natsuki, who had been pretending to be knocked out as well. A small, secretive smile came to Natsuki's lips, and she faintly shook her head 'no' at Shizuru's planned actions, as she didn't want to see Shizuru get hurt when Reito undoubtedly retaliated.

Shizuru let out a noisy breath of anger, as now that she could see the state Natsuki was in as well as her sister, the pure fury she was feeling at Reito for _daring_ to hurt her loved ones grew tenfold. Natsuki had a bad cut slitting her lip, and a nasty bruise forming on her cheek where her face must have slammed into the steering wheel, before the airbag deployed. Shizuru then felt a light squeeze on her hand and she looked down to see that Natsuki had taken her hand into her own, and was gently squeezing it; trying to get Shizuru to calm down and think rationally.

Shizuru let out another deep breath, and forced herself to calm down. Of course, the sense of calm she finally managed to attain for a few brief seconds was instantly lost, when an impatient Reito had his men begin ripping open the car doors, and start hauling the car's passengers out.

Shizuru fought and shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping that someone..._anyone_...would hear and come to help. But they had been driving on an empty, lonely country road with no other cars in sight for miles. It was probably why Reito decided to run them off the road when he did...no annoying witnesses for him to deal with.

Shizuru was pressed up hard against the side of the car, and the next thing she knew Reito was standing before her, with a gloating smile on his face. She refused to look back at him, and instead turned her head to see one of Reito's goons slinging Alyssa over his shoulder, and taking her over to the black van that had run them off the road.

"Put my sister down! Leave her alone you assholes!" Shizuru cried out, as she struggled to free herself from the grip that was holding her firmly against the ruined Chevy Camero. A sudden and fierce slap across her face stopped her from shouting again, and she finally turned her full attention to Reito who only smirked back at her, before tilting his head to the side to point out the man pulling Natsuki's prone body over to them. Once the goon had brought the dark-haired woman over to his boss, he leaned Natsuki's body up against the side of the car beside Shizuru.

Reito moved over to stand before Natsuki, and then raised his hand to slap her across the face as well. Shizuru's whole body jerked in reaction, and she would have struck out at Reito if the arms holding her firmly against the car hadn't tightened, forcing her back against the car's ruined body.

"I hate you, Reito," Shizuru whispered in a voice filled with hateful venom. For as long as she lived, she would _never_ forgive this sick asshole for all the hurt and anguish he'd brought into her life, and now into the lives of those she cared deeply about.

Reito just gave her one of his best charming smiles, and pulled something out from behind his back, that had been tucked into the waistband of his black dress pants. Shizuru knew instantly that it was a gun, and she realized with a sinking heart that she, Natsuki, and Alyssa were in truly deep trouble.

"So, I think it's time for me to put this bitch who stole you away from me out of her...and _my_...misery," Reito said conversationally, as he raised the gun, and placed the muzzle right up against Natsuki's temple.

Shizuru opened her mouth to let out a horrified cry of alarm, when Natsuki's eyes suddenly flew open, and she raised her arms to simultaneously knock Reito's arm and the gun away from her head, while punching him _hard_ in the gut. Then before Reito had fully doubled over from the gut-punch, Natsuki raised her knee and slammed it solidly into his balls.

Reito's face was a study in contrasts as it seemed to simultaneously redden with shock, anger, and pain; then drain to utter paleness as the shock to his system from the groin-check, caused him to topple over face-first onto the ground.

The next few seconds were filled with intense confusion, as Shizuru repeated Natsuki's action and groined the goon who had been holding her up against the car. The man also toppled over with barely a sound as Natsuki reached down, scooped up Reito's gun, then grabbed Shizuru's hand and made a beeline for the waiting black van.

The goon who had taken Alyssa was standing before the van's open side door, with his mouth hanging open in shock at the sudden turn of events. But he quickly regained his wits and pulled out his own gun, and stood before the door with the gun drawn and aimed at the approaching pair. When Natsuki saw the goon pull out his gun she cursed under her breath, halted in her steps, and quickly placed herself firmly before Shizuru. She then held up Reito's gun, and aimed it straight at the goon's head.

"Don't be an idiot. Move the _fuck_ out of the way before I shoot you!" Natsuki shouted, as she kept the gun aimed steadily at the man's head.

The goon began to sweat nervously as he looked over Natsuki's shoulder, and saw his boss and his fellow lackey laid out on the ground. He gulped slightly, but kept his gun aimed at the two females before him as he shouted back.

"Fuck you, you little bitch! Do you think I'm afraid of you! If I let you get away Reito will skin me alive! I'm more afraid of _him_ than I'll ever be of you, so _you_ put your gun down because I'm not letting you escape!"

Natsuki let out a soft curse under her breath, then gently let go of Shizuru's hand which she'd still been holding, and pulled out her gun from the waistband of her pants. She now stood like a true badass, with two guns pointing straight at the head of the now shaking asshole before her.

"Now, I'm going to tell you _one_ more time...put...the gun...down...NOW!" Natsuki shouted in barely-contained fury.

The knees of the goon before her began to knock, and he had the uncomfortable feeling that he may just have wet his pants. He was terrified of Reito, yes...but this bitch in front of him had _two_ guns pointed at him. One aimed at his head...and one he saw with a heart-stopping gulp...aimed straight at his groin. There was only one word he could manage to get out in reply...

"_Mommy_..."

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><p>Hope you all enjoyed! Please review! =D<p> 


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